Tobacco smoking

By: Alternix

History and Popularization of Tobacco Smoking

Tobacco smoking dates back to 5000-3000 BC in Mesoamerica and South America.
It was introduced to Eurasia in the late 17th century by European colonists.
Smoking became widespread with the introduction of automated cigarette-rolling apparatus.
John Rolfe successfully raised tobacco as a cash crop in Virginia in 1612.
Tobacco demand led to westward expansion and depletion of soil.
Tobacco was introduced to France in 1560 and spread to England.
It was also introduced to Africa and became popular by the 1650s.
Tobacco faced criticism from state and religious leaders, but restrictions were largely ignored.
The American Civil War and industrialization of cigarette production led to increased tobacco consumption in the US.

Smoking was practiced in ancient civilizations like the Babylonians, Indians, and Chinese.
It was used in shamanistic rituals and to achieve trances.
Tobacco smoke enemas were used for stimulation of respiration.
Eastern North American tribes used tobacco in ceremonial pipes.
Tobacco had medicinal uses, such as pain relief and treatment for colds.

Smoking triggers chemical reactions in nerve endings, increasing heart rate and alertness.
Dopamine and endorphins are released, associated with pleasure.
Smoking is linked to lung cancer, as established by research in the 1920s and 1950s.
Rates of smoking have declined in the developed world since 1965 but continue to rise in the developing world.
Tobacco use is prevalent among men (49%) and women (11%) in certain low-income and middle-income countries.
Cigarette advertisements and smoking by parents, siblings, and friends encourage smoking among students.
Many smokers start during adolescence or early adulthood.
Perceived pleasure and social peer pressure offset initial unpleasant symptoms.
Avoidance of withdrawal symptoms and negative reinforcement become motivations to continue smoking.

German scientists linked smoking to lung cancer in the late 1920s.
British researchers demonstrated a clear relationship between smoking and cancer in 1950.
Fritz Lickint's research in 1929 provided statistical evidence of a lung cancer-tobacco link.
Richard Doll's research in 1950 showed a close link between smoking and lung cancer.
The British Doctors Study in 1954 confirmed the relationship between smoking and lung cancer.
The United States Surgeon General's Report in 1964 suggested the link between smoking and cancer.
Tobacco companies initially claimed contributory negligence, but health authorities reversed their position in 1998.
The Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement restricted tobacco advertisement and resulted in the largest civil settlement in US history.

Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of Nicotiana plants.
Nicotiana tabacum is the most commonly grown species.
Tobacco leaves are cured and combined with additives to increase potency or improve smoke effects.
Common methods of consuming tobacco include cigarettes, cigars, and beedis.
Cigar smoking prevalence varies by location, with the US being the top consuming country.
Tobacco consumption in the US declined from 42% to 20.8% between 1965 and 2006.
Smoking rates have leveled off or declined in many industrialized nations.
Tobacco consumption in the developing world continued to rise in 2002.
Smoking in Africa is often considered modern and receives less adverse attention.
Russia is the top consumer of tobacco, followed by Indonesia, Laos, Ukraine, Belarus, Greece, Jordan, and China.

Reference	URL
Glossary	https://www.alternix.com/blogs/glossary-of-terms/tobacco-smoking
Wikipedia	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobacco_smoking
Wikidata	https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7212330
Knowledge Graph	https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/0jpmt