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Tobacco smoking is the act of smoking Tobacco products, especially Cigarette s and Cigar s. The practice of smoking tobacco originated among Native Americans in eastern North America , where tobacco is native. It was adopted by many Europe ans following the Colonization Of The Americas . According to the World Health Organization , it is most common in East Asia , where as many as two-thirds of all adult males smoke tobacco. Because of concern over the Health Effects Of Tobacco Smoking , the practice has rapidly declined in recent years in the United States , Canada and Western Europe . However, statistics show that at least a quarter of people even in these regions continue to smoke, and there is no indication smoking will go away completely. Tobacco may be smoked in several forms, the most common being the Cigarette , the Cigar , and the Pipe . Cigarette smoking is by far the most common. Pipes and cigars are less common, and some stereotype these as exclusively for men. Yet female cigar smokers have always existed and their proportion of the total is increasing. For example, Cheryl Robinson, director of Le Cigar at Tatou, estimates that 22% of her guests are women. The Hookah or water pipe is used in the Middle East. In the case of Cigarette smoking, smoke is inhaled into the lungs. Tobacco smoke contains the stimulant Nicotine which forms a strong physical and psychological Chemical Dependence ( Addiction ). The Centers For Disease Control And Prevention claim that nicotine is a "very addictive drug" that can be "as addictive as Heroin or Cocaine ." Dependence is strongest when tobacco smoke is inhaled into the lungs and increases with quantity and speed of nicotine absorption. Nicotine is typically eliminated from the body within 2 to 3 days, however, physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms may last for much longer depending on the individual. {Link without Title} Medical research has found that smoking is a major contributing factor towards many human has been regulated or restricted. In some countries Smoking Ban s have come into effect. is startled as he is caught on camera secretly smoking during the Nobel Prize party of 1992]] HISTORY , the most common form of tobacco use.]] Tobacco smoking, using both pipes and cigars, was common to many Native American cultures of the Americas . It is depicted in the art of the Classic-era Maya Civilization about 1,500 years ago. The Mayans smoked tobacco and also mixed it with Lime and chewed it in a Snuff -like substance. Among the Mayans tobacco was used as an all-purpose medicine, and was widely believed to have magical powers, being used in Divination s and Talisman s. It was also burned as a Sacrifice to the gods; a tobacco Gourd was worn as a badge by Midwives . On October 12, date to 1630 and in Austria to 1650 . In 1642 , Urban VIII issued a papal bull against smoking in churches. In 1657 , smoking was prohibited in Switzerland . The Cigar became immensely popular in England in the late 1820s . The Cigarette appeared in 1828 in Spain, and enjoyed immediate success. The protagonist of Prosper Merimee 's '' Carmen '' of 1845 is a girl working in a cigarette factory. But the cigarette remained less popular than the cigar or pipe until the early 20th Century in most of Europe, when cheap mechanically made cigarettes became common. Queen Victoria hated tobacco, but after her death, in 1901 , her son and successor Edward VII gathered his friends in a large drawing room at Buckingham Palace and entered with a lit cigar in his hand, announcing "Gentlemen, you may smoke", initiating the upper class British smoking room. in the film '' Charade ''. ( 1963 )]] Tobacco Companies succeeded in having their product included in military rations during World War I , where under the stress of warfare many soldiers took up smoking, becoming habitual smokers. After the war, during the Roaring Twenties , cigarette smoking was portrayed in advertising as part of a glamorous carefree lifestyle, and became socially acceptable for women as well. In the 1930s Nazi medical and military leaders became concerned that tobacco might prove a hazard to human health, concluding that the "extraordinary rise in tobacco use" was "the single most important cause of the rising incidence of lung cancer". From 1933 to 1945 Germany had the world's strongest anti-smoking movement, with the full support of Adolf Hitler , who disapproved of smoking. He characterised tobacco as "the wrath of the Red Man against the White Man for having been given hard liquor." Ironically, one of Hitler's best known admirers -- George Lincoln Rockwell -- was a faithful smoker, rarely seen without a Pipe . {Link without Title} {Link without Title} Germany's defeat in 1945 meant that its aggressive anti-tobacco movement declined. Hitler and the campaigners behind the movement were dead, had been silenced, or were later executed for crimes against humanity. Much of the science on the dangers of tobacco had been gathered through brutal experimentation on concentration camp prisoners. {Link without Title} German Physician Knut-Olaf Haustein was known for his work studying the effects of tobacco smoking. In the 1950s and 1960s , the medical community and government bodies (particularly in the United States ) began a campaign to reduce the degree of smoking by showing how it damaged Public Health . In recent years tobacco smoking in many regions of the world has dramatically dropped. HEALTH EFFECTS ''Main article: Health Effects Of Tobacco Smoking '' The health effects of tobacco smoking are related to direct Tobacco Smoking , as well as Passive Smoking , inhalation of environmental or secondhand tobacco smoke. The United States' Centers For Disease Control And Prevention describes tobacco use as "the single most important preventable risk to human health in Developed Countries and an important cause of premature death worldwide". The main health risks in tobacco pertain to diseases of the cardiovascular system, in particular smoking being a major risk factor for a Myocardial Infarction (heart attack), diseases of the Respiratory Tract such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and Emphysema , and Cancer , particularly Lung Cancer and cancers of the Larynx and Tongue . Prior to World War I , lung cancer was considered to be a rare disease, which most physicians would never see during their career. With the postwar rise in popularity of cigarette smoking, however, came a virtual epidemic of lung cancer. A person's increased risk of contracting disease is directly proportional to the length of time that a person continues to smoke as well as the amount smoked. However, if someone stops smoking, then these chances gradually decrease as the damage to their body is repaired. Nicotine is a powerful Stimulant and is one of the main factors leading to the continued tobacco smoking. Although the amount of nicotine inhaled with tobacco smoke is quite small (most of the substance is destroyed by the heat) it is still sufficient to cause physical and/or psychological Dependence . However, smokers usually ignore these facts and trade health risk for other qualities such as enjoyment and satisfied Addictions . These smokers often think of the benefits of smoking rather than the downsides. The Depressant effect of smoking allow smokers to calm their Nerves , often allowing them for increased concentration (though the community may disapprove). Contrary to extreme belief, moderate smokers do not suffer the setbacks that chain smokers do. Smoking the first time will not usually addict one to the process, and is only a superstition often used by parents to prevent their children from engagin in the process. Many smokers have also claimed to use their lit cigarettes for everything from lighting a dark area, to providing warmth and a weapon when needed. Passive smoking ''Main article: Passive Smoking '' Passive smoking (also known as environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), involuntary smoking or secondhand smoke) occurs when the exhaled and ambient smoke from one person's Cigarette is inhaled by other people. Involuntary smoking involves inhaling carcinogens, as well as other toxic components, that are present in secondhand tobacco smoke. Secondhand tobacco smoke is sometimes referred to as 'environmental' tobacco smoke. Carcinogens that occur in secondhand tobacco smoke include benzene, 1,3-butadiene, benzo {Link without Title} pyrene, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone and many others. Numerous studies have suggested that passive smoking can be harmful to human health, however the level of harm is controversial with research from alternative sources suggesting that the risk may not be as high as otherwise predicted. Passive smoking is one of the key issues in leading to Smoking Ban s, particularly in workplaces. SMOKING CESSATION The principal function of the human lung is to breathe in oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide, and that function is seriously impaired by the presence of smoke in the air. Many of tobacco's health effects can be minimised through Smoking Cessation . The " British Doctors Study " showed that those who stopped smoking before they reached 30 years of age lived almost as long as those who never smoked. It is also possible to help reduce the risks by reducing the Frequency of smoking and by proper Diet and Exercise . Some research has indicated that some of the damage caused by smoking tobacco can be moderated with the use of Antioxidants . Smokers wanting to quit (or to temporarily abstain from) smoking can use a variety of nicotine-containing tobacco subsitutes, or Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) products to temporarily lessen the physical Withdrawal symptoms, the most popular being Nicotine Gum and Lozenge s. Nicotine Patch es are also used for Smoking Cessation . Medications that do not contain nicotine can also be used, such as Bupropion (Zyban). Discussing quitting smoking with supportive people can also be helpful, both in person and through telephone quitlines, such as 1-800-QuitNow in the US and 0800 169 0169 in the UK. In addition, there are many Self-help books on the market, for example those by Allen Carr and David Marks . OPINIONS ON SMOKING Native Americans and smoking Communal smoking of a sacred tobacco pipe was a common ritual of many Native American tribes, and was considered a sacred part of their religion. Sema, the Anishnabe word for tobacco, is still used for ceremonial uses today among Native Americans. It was grown for ceremonial use and considered the ultimate sacred plant. Tobacco smoke was believed to carry prayers to the heavens. These rituals were performed, on average, no more than once a month, which differs widely from modern smoking, which is much more frequent and usually devoid of spiritual significance. The tobacco used during these rituals varied widely in potency -- the '' Nicotiana Rustica '' species used in South America , for instance, has up to twice the nicotine content of the common North American ''N. tabacum''. To this day many Native American tribes operate tobacco stores, including on the Internet, where they are usually exempt from taxes and therefore can sell products cheaper than non-Native American dealers. Christianity and smoking (arguments against) In more modern times, even before the health risks of smoking were identified for study, smoking was considered an immoral habit by certain Christian Preacher s and Social Reform ers. Tobacco was listed, along with Drunkenness , Gambling , Cards , Dancing and Theater -going, in J.M. Judy's ''Questionable Amusements and Worthy Substitutes'', a book featuring anti-smoking dialogue which was published in 1904 by the Western Methodist Book Concern of Chicago . Moral concerns about self-injury are also prevalent in Catholic Medical Ethics on the grounds that people ought to be responsible stewards of the body as a gift from God; the stewardship argument is also used among Protestant groups as an argument against smoking. Mormonism and smoking (arguments against) The founder of the , a book canonized as scripture by Mormons .
While initially a health guideline, this was eventually accepted as a commandment, and faithful members of this religion do not smoke. Judaism and smoking (arguments against) The Jewish leader Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan ( 1838 - 1933 ) was one of the first Jewish authorities to speak out on smoking. He considered it a health risk, a waste of time, and saw the practice of people "borrowing" (pilfering) cigarettes from each other as morally questionable. A shift toward health-oriented concerns may be observed in some people's interpretations of Jewish law ('' Halakha ''). For instance, when the link between smoking and health was still doubted, Rabbi Moses Feinstein response stated that smoking was permitted, although still inadvisable. More recently, rabbinic Responsa tend to argue that smoking is prohibited as self-endangerment under Jewish law and that smoking in indoor spaces should be restricted as a type of damage to others (See article on Jewish Law And History On Smoking ). Other opinions on smoking Much opposition to smoking is based on arguments grounded on alleged unethical corporate practices of the tobacco industry and public health concerns. Many public interest groups are interested in controlling smoking-induced problems through political means, and mostly consist of former smokers, health professionals, corporate responsibility advocates, school and community-based organizations, and environmental groups. David Krogh argues for tobacco's uniqueness as a drug and accounts for the fact that in the past, many moralists who disapproved of "recreational" drugs approved of tobacco. Krogh's book argues that tobacco is not like alcohol or so-called controlled substances, including marijuana, and that smokers use tobacco to normalize their feelings within the narrow band necessary for functioning within an industrial society, where energy levels have to be carefully rationed according to expectations. Kant ians, however, argue against self-injury as a necessary duty, consistent with the moral law or categorical imperative. LEGAL ISSUES AND REGULATION In many countries, including the United States , New Zealand , Canada , South Africa and Australia , it is illegal to sell tobacco products to minors. In the United Kingdom and South Africa it is illegal to sell tobacco products to people under the age of 16. In 46 of the 50 United States, the minimum age is 18, except for Alabama , Alaska , New Jersey , and Utah where the legal age is 19. Some countries have also legislated against giving tobacco products to (i.e. buying for) minors, and even against minors engaging in the act of smoking. Underlying such laws is the belief that people should make an informed decision regarding the risks of tobacco use. Several Western countries have also put restrictions on cigarette advertising. In the United States , all television advertising of tobacco products has been prohibited since 1971 . In Australia , the Tobacco Advertising Prohibition Act 1992 prohibits tobacco advertising in any form, with a very small number of exceptions (some international sporting events are excepted, but these exceptions will be revoked in 2006). Other countries have legislated particularly against advertising that appears to target minors. Some countries also impose legal requirements on the packaging of tobacco products. For example in the countries of the European Union , Australia and South Africa , cigarette packs must be prominently labeled with the health risks associated with smoking . Canada and Australia have also imposed labels upon cigarette packs warning smokers of the effects, and they include graphic images of the potential health effects of smoking. Cards are also inserted into cigarette packs in Canada. There are sixteen of them, and only one comes in a pack. They explain different methods of quitting smoking. Also, in the United Kingdom , there have been a number of graphic NHS advertisements, one showing a cigarette filled with fatty deposits, as if the cigarette is symbolising the artery of a smoker. On February 28 2005 , an international treaty, the WHO Framework Convention On Tobacco Control , took effect. The FCTC is the world's first public health treaty. Countries that sign on as parties agree to a set of common goals, minimum standards for tobacco control policy, and to cooperate in dealing with cross-border challenges such as cigarette smuggling. Currently the WHO declares that 4 billion people will be covered by the treaty, which includes 92 signatories. Amongst other steps, signatories are to put together legislation that will eliminate second-hand smoke in indoor workplaces, public transport, indoor public places and, as appropriate, other public places. Smoking bans See Also: Smoking ban In addition, some jurisdictions impose restrictions on where smoking is allowed. Several European countries such as the Republic Of Ireland , Norway , Sweden , Italy , Spain and Scotland have legislated against smoking in public places, often including bars and restaurants. Similar bans will also take effect in the rest of the UK at various intervals ( Northern Ireland from April 2007 , England from summer 2007 and Wales at a similar time). In the United States, many states prohibit smoking in Restaurant s, and some also prohibit smoking in Bar s. See the List Of Smoking Bans article for a full list of restrictions in various areas around the world. Reasons for smoking Famous smokers of the past used cigarettes or pipes as part of their image, such as 's book ''Cigarettes are Sublime'' for the analysis, by this Cornell University professor of French Literature , of the role smoking plays in 19th and 20th Century letters. British Prime Minister Harold Wilson smoked a pipe in public, considering that it gave him the image of a plain working man; furthermore, the ritual of relighting the pipe gave him time to respond to difficult questions. In private, he smoked the more elitist cigars. Many smokers are defensive about their habit, this being primarily due to the high level of persecution they suffer on a daily basis, in both their personal and professional lives. However, successful ex-smokers are often quite happy and relieved, as well as proud of their success. One case was Edward R. Murrow as mentioned above who, after leaving CBS and joining the United States Information Agency under President Kennedy was diagnosed with lung cancer. Despite the death sentence this implied, Murrow was able to quit in the time remaining to him and was very open about the benefits he experienced. In April 2005, the ABC News anchor Peter Jennings appeared on-air to report his own diagnosis of lung cancer. Jennings had quit smoking in 1985 but confessed that he'd started again after the September 11 Attacks , when he had been on air for over 60 hours and had to announce the multiple tragedies of that day. On August 7 , 2005 , Jennings succumbed to the cancer. Whilst not a reason in itself for smoking tobacco, it should be noted that Ulcerative Colitis is twice as common in non smokers as in smokers. SEE ALSO
EXTERNAL SOURCES "Smoking: the Artificial Passion", ''David Krough'' (Freeman 1992) NOTES
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