My friend Nicot has warned me (Tobacco Europe July/August) against using the International Pipe Academy's "Relax with your pipe" stickers on correspondence to the Irish Republic. Irish laws against promoting tobacco might take a dim view. This is rather interesting. Before deciding on the sticker, the academy gave a lot of thought about the wording. This association does not claim to promote pipe smoking but to promote knowledge of pipes and tobacco. Therefore, the way to relax with your pipe is left to the individual. The interest of the academy is also, historical, artistic and cultural. Still, I can see that any law from Ireland, or anywhere for that matter, would be blind to the nuance of the stickers' statement. It might be worth testing though. On the other hand, the sticker is basically used for private purpose and, if I invite an Irish correspondent to relax with his pipe, it is between him (or her) and me.
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