Glass pipes also are sold locally at Green Top, 318 E. College Ave., and Altered State, 433 E. Beaver Ave.

Superior production is hard to come by. The companies and individual artists are difficult to reach. A few individuals seek out stores to hock their wares, or market their pipes at concerts or on the Internet.

Yet much of the art's innovation can be found in small 10-person troupes, found in the Pacific Northwest, Colorado and Vermont. Constant networking and investigation is necessary to establish business relationships with these distant collaborators.

"You deal on a personal level with the artists who have new and unique techniques," said Jennifer Martin, owner of Green Top. "It takes a lot of time and research to find the companies before you sell even one pipe."

Aside from larger manufacturers like Jerome Baker Inc. or Graffix, the companies make the glass pipes. They also create tubes, smoking devices with cylindrical chambers to hold smoke filtered by water (don't say "bong," or else you might be asked to leave the store). These tubes may be a few feet long and are ideal for smokers who prefer to enjoy their smoke -- tobacco or otherwise -- aggressively in large concentrated doses.

These blowing outfits are of great value in the industry, because their innovative techniques and handmade products are in high demand from discriminating pipe smokers. Also, handmade pieces tend to be more intricate and sturdier than manufactured wares.

"Hand-blown tubes tend to be 3 to 5 mm thick," but machine-made tubes by Graffix do not go above 3 mm, said Liz Messersmith (sophomore-division of undergraduate studies), a manager at Green Top.

The craftsmanship comes at a price. Small hand-blown pieces can sell for as little as $12, while the most intricate can merit a $250 price tag. Larger tubes can reach $400.

For many buyers, though, these prices take a backseat to quality when choosing a smoking device. Many buyers are extremely choosy when it comes to the material of their pipe. In recent years, wood, metal and acrylic pipe sales have lagged behind glass.

Many factors contribute to the dominance of glass besides its beauty, quickness to cool and ease to clean.

"It just tastes better," Chad Stroup (junior-psychology) said. "After smoking out of a glass piece, you can really tell the difference."

Scott Johnson (sophomore-parks and recreation management), a student at Penn State Altoona College, gave his brass piece away when he got used to his hand-blown glass pipe.

"I hate metal," he said.

Besides just giving in to the glass craze, a few students are actually producing pipes on their own. At Simply Kind, these local works are some of the best sellers.

"Some students are making a good amount of ex-tra money -- sometimes enough to help themselves through school," Schroeffel said. Secrecy prevented Schroeffel from releasing the students' names.

Before going out and deciding to hand-blow glass pipes in your dorm, be aware this is not a simple trade. Artists start with tubes of clear glass and colored glass rods. A tedious and intricate process must be followed before even the simplest piece can be completed. While creating complicated pipes may take at most an hour and a half, artists usually charge about $65 per hour.