There is evidence that tobacco was first grown over 5000 years ago. Native to the Americas it stayed there until the era of the great explorers. Columbus is credited with introducing tobacco to Europe in the mid 15th Century. Who introduced it to Britain is disputed, Sir Walter Raleigh, Robert Grenville and Sir Francis Drake are likely candidates all being travellers to the New World in the late 16th Century. However Raleigh is undoubtedly the man who first introduced tobacco to the court of Queen Elizabeth 1st.

Origins and the rise of smoking

The next two to three hundred years saw an increase in popularity of tobacco smoking among the general public until what can be considered as its heyday, the first half of the 20th century. During this time it was not without enemies.His Holiness Pope Clement VIII, threatened excommunication to anyone who smoked in a holy place, In Russia it was declared a deadly sin by Michael Feodorovich, the first Romanov Czar. Punishments were brutal and severe, slitting of the lips or a terrible and sometimes fatal flogging. In countries like Turkey, Persia and India, the death penalty was seen as the only cure for the evils of smoking tobacco.

In England things were somewhat more ambivalent. King James 1st published a dissertation proclaiming tobacco “an invention of Satan”. However he was soon to change his mind and nationalised the growing tobacco industry in England and reduced tobacco taxes (which were around even then).

The true heyday was yet to come:-

War Years

The war years (both the first and second world wars) actively encouraged cigarette smoking, rationing of cigarettes for the troops was introduced. Speaking to people who had relatives or friends who took part in the First World War they tell of soldiers who smoked to avoid the stench of the trenches.

Later in the Second World War serving soldiers, sailors and airman received a free allowance of cigarettes; they were even flown out to them when serving overseas. A neighbour of mine, who was enlisted in the second world war, tells this story of early recruitment days, one of his first experiences was a lecture from his regiments Chief Medical Officer who gave this advice to the young recruits “Your mother has probably told you to stay away from smoking drinking and loose women” well you are in a different world now, smoking makes you happy and relaxed, drinking makes you forget many of the horrors you encounter and loose women well… (not too PC).

Hollywood

Hollywood in the 1940’s and 50’s managed to make smoking “cool”. In old black and white films everyone seems to be smoking. Who can forget the images of popular actors like Bogart and Robert Mitchum, who never seemed to be seen without a cigarette drooping from their lips. Hollywood can also take a lot of responsibility for the growth in the number of women who took up smoking during that period. It was seen as very sophisticated and beautiful young women everywhere were seen coolly lighting cigarettes. The ultimate in sophistication was those scenes where handsome young men would light two cigarettes at once then hand one to their beautiful companion.

The Decline of Smoking

As early as 1858 fears about the effects on smoking on health were first raised in The Lancet.

Despite the claims of the immensely rich Tobacco Industry that smoking was harmless and even healthy the 1950’s saw the tide turning.

In 1950 an article was published in the British Medical Journal claiming a link between lung cancer and smoking. In the 1960’s the US Surgeon General declared that smoking causes lung cancer, the UK banned cigarette ads on television and the US imposed health warnings on cigarette packaging.

The next thirty years saw many changes:

- Advertising of tobacco within the media was virtually eradicated.

- Health warnings on cigarette packs was made more obvious and introduced in many more countries.

- Smoking on public transport came under attack and many countries started to introduce bans.

- A ban on smoking in restaurants, public buildings and places was starting to grow support. In fact in 1994 MacDonalds banned smoking in all of its restaurants.

- In the US nicotine is declared addictive and pronounced a drug.

- The Tobacco Industry was coming under increasing attacks and lawsuits, by Governments and the general public were successfully prosecuted.

From 2000 there has been increasing attacks on smoking

- The British Medical Association claimed there was no safe level of environmental smoke.

- In 2003 New York City bans all smoking in public spaces.

- In Britain, Ireland introduces a ban on smoking in all enclosed public places, including restaurants, pubs and clubs from 31 March 2004.

- Scotland joins the banning of smoking in all enclosed public places in 2006

- In 2007 England catches up with the other UK countries and announces a smoking ban in bars and restaurants.

In 2008 we have reached the situation where much of the civilised world successfully operate smoking bans in varying degrees of severity. The wheel seems to have turned full circle, back to the attempted controls of the 15 & 16th centuries only the punishments are not so extreme.

Steve Hill is a webmaster from Birmingham, he has interests in a number of websites including:

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