A resurgence in pipe smoking?

When I wear a hat it's usually either a baseball or flat cap. I have a straw cowboy hat that I wear around the yard occasionally in the spring and summer as well.

These articles were written within the last six years or so.
www.google.com/amp/s/abcnews.go.com/amp/Lifestyle/pipe-smoking-rises-ashes-hip/story%3fid=26081188

www.google.com/amp/s/newsatjama.jama.com/2012/08/03/as-cigarette-smoking-declines-pipe-tobacco-use-soars/amp/

I smoke a pipe and sometimes wear a fedora (my wool one keeps my head & body warm in the winter) - - because I like them. I don’t really care if they’re ‘coming back’ with others or not.

If you are referring to the second (older) article, you are correct. It points out that some groups believe the increase in pipe tobacco sales is motivated by a move from machine made cigarettes to hand rolled alternatives using pipe tobacco. Another point towards this trend is companies that have changed labels from cigarette to pipe tobacco for tax purposes and roll your own cigarette smokers took notice. An interesting comparison would be how has the premium pipe tobacco market done over those years. In other words, I do not see many cigarette smokers buying Dunhill, C&D, GLPease, SPC etc tins for rolling cigarettes.

The first (newer) article is different. It examines another trend where pipe smoking amongst a younger crowd appears to be growing. This group prefers the nicer pipe blends,typically avoided by the roll your own cigarette crowd, and approaches the hobby with an appreciation towards well crafted products with renewed perspective and appreciation (I believe this trend is the smaller of the two). If you are familiar with the YouTube community and other electronic media, one can also see this occurring. It might not be a huge group but they are making themselves known. In fact I met quite a few pipe smokers that fit the first articles description during the 2018 Kansas City Pipe Club Show.

The point to be made is that there are a number of forces driving the market, including the fear of FDA regulations amongst those of us who are cellaring. These articles frame different points within the increase of pipe tobacco sales and serve to illustrate two trends that are occurring, amongst others (The blend purchases promoted by the FDA intrusion for one). I believe they are relevant to this thread and provide us with another layer of information to weigh as we make our journey towards a more well rounded conclusion.

PS Outside sources of information can bring broader contexts to the discussion sometimes missed or misconstrued by personal reflections and observations.

There isn’t a decent pipe shop within 150 miles of me. Years ago, when there were a lot more shops around, I remember the wonderful aromas you could smell when walking by. Even some of the large shopping malls had a pipe & cigar shop. I imagine that quite a few people were enticed by those aromas.

That doesn’t happen anymore in my area. Maybe it’s different in other parts of the country.

I think one thing that attracts young people to pipe smoking, and other retro things, is that enough time has passed since then that the practice can be taken up out of its context as a hobby. A new activity, not an attempt to bring back values and life styles of the past.

That a pipe smoker sent so many your age to Viet Nam would not encourage you to enjoy or pay homage to that culture. That a pipe smoker sent so many your Dad's age or grandfather's age to Viet Nam is less of an issue. It's just something they did back then.

I’d love a resurgence ! We could use as many voices (& votes) on our side as we can get.

All it would take is one or two great movies, or some television host piping on camera. Or if a charismatic president (of either party or persuasion) were to take up smoking pipe. 

Meanwhile I do what I can.

The collective media would crap their pants If that happened... when Soccer players in England or the prince is seen smoking a hookah, it is referred to as a scandal.

Most men (it seems)in the public arena are too wussifed to tell them “tough toenails, get over it.”... talking mostly cigarettes...cigar smokers seem to avoid the criticism...pipes are just so rare by comparison, if any public figure smokes a pipe, I am guessing that it is within the confines of the home.

Never say never.

The US Army has recently been seriously considering going back to a uniform very similar to those worn in WW2 - the “pink and greens”. Who would have ever thought such a thing was possible ?

Without veering off into politics, - - - world & national events can greatly impact attitudes & actions. I don’t know what might bring it about, but it’s entirely possible that someday many people may feel nostalgic toward a past when men wore fedoras, opened doors for ladies & got a ‘thank you’, and enjoyed smoking a pipe.

Nice hat, buddy. You suit it.

Only a few tobacconists here in Denver. Probably several hundred pot dispensaries though. So stupid.

Jim, you look like a Heisenberg variant.

Good Looking Lid