Trickle Down Theory

I see that pipe smoking is "The Latest Thing" among young adults:

No one tracks how many young men and women are pipe smokers. But sales of pipe tobacco are rising again after years of decline, and many think young smokers are the reason. U.S. sales of pipe tobacco plummeted to 4.9 million pounds in 2006, from 52 million pounds in 1970, says Norman Sharp, president of the Cigar Association of America. Sales climbed to 5.3 million pounds in 2008. Pipe tobacco and smokeless tobacco sales are on the rise, offsetting over a decade of decreases in cigarette sales.

I would point out that pipe smoking was "in" around the Boston area about 7 years ago. I guess it takes that long for high culture to trickle down to the rubes in flyover country.