Pipe Tobacco
On this page:
- What Is Pipe Tobacco?
- Are You Looking for General Health and Safety Information Related to Pipe Tobacco?
- Are You a Manufacturer of Pipe Tobacco?
- Are You a Retailer of Pipe Tobacco?
What Is Pipe Tobacco?
Pipe tobacco is generally loose leaf tobacco burned in a traditional smoking pipe with a bowl. Pipe tobacco is a combustible tobacco product.
Are You Looking for General Health and Safety Information Related to Pipe Tobacco?
To protect the public health of the U.S. population from tobacco-related death and disease, FDA provides information about tobacco products, including pipe tobacco, and the dangers they pose to the public.
Tobacco and tobacco smoke contain thousands of chemicals. This mix of chemicals—not nicotine—is what causes serious disease and death in tobacco users.
Health Effects of Tobacco Use
Different tobacco products pose varying levels of health risk to users. Combusted products that burn tobacco, like pipe tobacco, are the most harmful to a person’s health, although no tobacco product is considered safe.
Quitting Smoking
Quitting smoking is often difficult, and may take multiple attempts, but the longer a person is able to stay quit, the more the body gets to heal from the damage done by smoking.
Nearly 3 out of 4 adults who smoke say they would like to quit. Find resources to help you quit.
Resources in the FDA Tobacco Education Resource Library
Learn more about print materials, web content, and social media posts available for free that help keep communities informed about tobacco-related issues.
See Tobacco and Smoking Resources
Report a Tobacco Product Problem or Violation
If you have experienced undesired health or quality problems with any tobacco product, including pipe tobacco, you can report it to FDA. Knowing more about adverse experiences can help FDA identify concerning trends and causes or contributors for particular incidents or health or quality problems beyond those normally associated with tobacco product use. You can read some tobacco-related adverse experience reports on the Tobacco Product Problem Reports page.
If you believe these products are being sold to minors, or you see another potential violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) or FDA’s tobacco regulations, report the potential violation.
Are You a Manufacturer of Pipe Tobacco?
FDA regulates the manufacture, import, packaging, labeling, advertising, promotion, sale, and distribution of pipe tobacco, including components and parts such as pipes,* under the FD&C Act and its implementing regulations.
If you make, modify, mix, manufacture, fabricate, assemble, process, label, repack, relabel, or import pipe tobacco, you must comply with the requirements for manufacturers.
CTP’s Office of Small Business Assistance can answer specific questions about requirements of small businesses and how to comply with the law. This office also provides online educational resources to help regulated industry understand FDA regulations and policies.
*“Components” or “parts” include, among other things, software or an assembly of materials intended or reasonably expected to alter or affect the tobacco product’s performance, composition, constituents, or characteristics; or to be used with or for the human consumption of a tobacco product. Accessories of deemed tobacco products, for example, lighters, are not regulated. For a full definition of components, parts, and accessories, please read Deeming Tobacco Products To Be Subject to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
Are You a Retailer of Pipe Tobacco?
Tools for Retailers
“This is Our Watch” is an education program with resources to help tobacco retailers better understand and comply with FDA tobacco regulations. Tobacco retailers play a direct role in protecting kids from nicotine addiction and the deadly effects of tobacco use.
Learn what tobacco retailers need to do to comply with the rules designed to prevent our nation's youth from becoming the next generation of Americans to die prematurely from tobacco-related disease.
Retail Sales of Tobacco Products offers more information about federal rules that retailers must follow as well as information on regulations, guidance, and tools to help retailers comply.
Did You Know?
It is illegal for a retailer to sell any tobacco product – including cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, and e-cigarettes – to anyone under 21.