Pipes
Smoking pipes have been around for centuries. Almost every culture and ethnic group has a long and rich history of pipe smoking. The pipes were once widely used in North America but over the years their use has decreased. Smoking via a pipe was once associated with aristocracy, nobility, pompousness and snobbery. Almost every other smoking device has its roots in the smoking pipe.

Corn cob pipe.
All smoking pipes function in a similar fashion. These reusable devices consist of a hollow pipe with a small round chamber at the other end in which the tobacco is placed. The tobacco is lit and the fumes can be inhaled through the other end. Besides tobacco, one can smoke hashish, marijuana, opium and crack cocaine through the pipe. Some have even made exotic combinations of illegal drugs, PCP or cocaine as a concoction to be used in a pipe.
Smoking pipes are made of various materials including clay, ceramic, glass, metal porcelain, stone, wood and gourd. Smoking pipes can even be custom made. They come in a variety of designs, size, shapes, and colors.

Metallic pipe.
The most common material for pipes is wood although the most cheap ones, so called corncobs, are made from maize cobs. Corncobs are effective and a noteworthy option for those who just want to get the job done. They are also often recommended for beginner pipe smokers.
Every culture has not only its own unique method of how to use a smoking pipe but also the material being smoked is variable.
In Asia pipe smoking has been associated with business men who have a certain tranquility around them. In Britain, pipe smokers appear as dignified individuals with an aura around them. In America, no one cares what you smoke and how you smoke - as long as you do not smoke in the no smoking area.
Smoking pipes have a range of costs. The cost may vary depending on the complexity, design and the material used to make it. The cheapest smoking pipes cost anywhere from $10 and upwards and the more complex ones can cost anywhere from $30 and above.

