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Native to America the smoking habit goes way back in time to more than 3000 years. Pipes dating back to 1000 years before our era were found in South America. The indigenous people called this plant “petum”. The Tobacco name might have come either from Tobago Island in the archipelago of the small West Indies where it was cultivated, or from the name the indigenous people gave to their pipes. This Tobacco was smoked on a daily basis, but also for big holidays (religious type), by Incas and Aztecs. Its purpose was to calm their hunger and fight against their fatigue. It was used as a medicinal plant, either pure or mixed with coca leaves or other plants.
The first planting materials for Tobacco were brought by Fernando Hernandez de Toledo, doctor of king Philippe II, who had been sent to find new plants. By the middle of the XVI century, Tobacco was planted in Portugal. Father André Thévenet, of the Cordelier religious order, introduced in 1556 Tobacco in France and planted some in his city of Angoulême. Jean Nicot de Villemain, Ambassador of France in Lisbon, sent 4 years later, in 1560, leaves of grated Tobacco to Catherine de Médicis by describing it as a medicinal plant capable of calming her migraines. During the XVI century, Tobacco culture spreads everywhere in Europe, mainly in the port areas. Sailors smoke for pleasure (this is how Jean Bart, famous sailor, became the emblem on numerous Tobacco-bars). However, Tobacco fulfills its purpose, curing the queen’s migraines a reputable medicinal plant curing various sufferings. Crazy uses of the plant, for example Tobacco enemas provoked numerous accidents. Gradually Tobacco became a demonized drug.
Native to South America, Tobacco is an annual plant with hermaphrodite flowers from the family of Solanaceae cultivated worldwide. There are about sixty types of the Nicotiana Kind, distributed in three subgroups. The plants, measuring 2m in height, contained isolated leaves of 85cm to 100 cm in length. We distinguish ornamental Tobacco from those used for the production of cigars and cigarettes.
The Tobacco leaves are harvested, dried, and then put to ferment to obtain a specific taste. Leaf Tobacco is classified according to its variety and method of drying. Brown Tobacco is dried by air and fire bright Tobacco is dried by hot air (red Tobacco) light Tobacco is dried by air or sun and has “an American taste”. The consumption of Tobacco is in the form of cigarettes, cigars, and loose leaf Tobacco used to roll-your-own or to put in pipes, as well as chewing.
Tobacco products consist of additives (humectants, taste, flavor, etc.). The combustion of these products creates new constituents such as carbon monoxide, tars, etc., which then become harmful for the health. Tobacco effects are far from being harmless.
The diseases and cancers related to Tobacco are numerous. In spite of the fact that these are avoidable, there are 4.9 million deaths per year in the world. According to a report from the World Health Organization no other product is more dangerous or kills as much as Tobacco.
Numerous consequences result from Tobacco. It plays a negative role in cardiovascular functions, by increasing blood pressure, accelerating cardiac rhythm and damages arteries. This results in multiplying by two the death risks by infarction. These cardiovascular risks also concern arteries of the brain and lower limbs.
Tobacco has harmful effects on pregnancy development (prematurity and lower birth weight).
The harmful effects of Tobacco also affect the respiratory function respiratory problems develop which can lead to chronic bronchitis or even worst, lung cancer.
It also affects the digestive function. Nicotine increases the secretion of gastric acids and affects the central nervous system. The supply of oxygen to the brain and muscles are limited. It’s responsible for headaches, dizziness and decreased stamina while exercising.
Unfortunately, the harmful effects of Tobacco do not end there. It is the cause of many cancers, such as bronchial, lung, oral cavity, esophageal, bladder, cervical and stomach. One in four cancers is related to Tobacco.
While the rate of other cancers have stabilized or decreased, the rate of bronchial cancer has gone from 2 to 50 since 1930.
The risk of cancer is multiplied by 25 for a man who smokes one pack of cigarettes per day.
The heavy smoker has a risk multiplied by 50 compared to a non smoker. The rise of these risks is often proportional to cigarette consumption.
Cancer concerns more and more women. Bronchial cancer is the 2nd most common cancer in women.
Some cancers such as lip, tongue, pharynx and larynx mainly develop with the combination of Tobacco and alcohol.
To conclude, the negative effects of Tobacco also intervene at the beauty level. The aesthetic damages of Tobacco show themselves at many levels, the skin prematurely ages, more easily wrinkles, becomes dull, and dehydrated. Fingers, nails and teeth turn yellow and hair becomes fragile. Eyes are red, tearful, and eyelids puffy. We also observe a change in the voice which is often hoarse and deep.
All these effects can be avoided. You are the only one who has the power to decide to stop smoking. There are many ways to go about it, either alone without anyone’s help, in a group with a spouse or friend, with your general practitioner, a specialist, or by consulting assistance centers for breaking nicotine addiction.
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