Tobacco smoking

The practice encountered criticism from its first import into the Western world onwards but embedded itself in certain strata of a number of societies before becoming widespread upon the introduction of automated cigarette-rolling apparatus.

The resulting smoke, which contains various active substances, the most significant of which is the addictive psychostimulant drug nicotine (a compound naturally found in tobacco), is absorbed through the alveoli in the lungs or the oral mucosa.

[9] German scientists identified a link between smoking and lung cancer in the late 1920s, leading to the first anti-smoking campaign in modern history, albeit one truncated by the collapse of Nazi Germany at the end of World War II.

[13] As of 2008 to 2010, tobacco is used by about 49% of men and 11% of women aged 15 or older in fourteen low-income and middle-income countries (Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Mexico, Philippines, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay, and Vietnam), with about 80% of this usage in the form of smoking.

[19] During the early stages, a combination of perceived pleasure acting as positive reinforcement and desire to respond to social peer pressure may offset the unpleasant symptoms of initial use, which typically include nausea and coughing.

In Edo period Japan, some of the earliest tobacco plantations were scorned by the shogunate as being a threat to the military economy by letting valuable farmland go to waste for the use of a recreational drug instead of being used to plant food crops.

From this point on for some centuries, several administrations withdrew from efforts at discouragement and instead turned tobacco trade and cultivation into sometimes lucrative government monopolies.

[33][34] By the mid-17th century, most major civilizations had been introduced to tobacco smoking and in many cases had already assimilated it into the native culture, despite some continued attempts upon the parts of rulers to eliminate the practice with penalties or fines.

The anti-tobacco movement in Nazi Germany did not reach across enemy lines during the Second World War, as anti-smoking groups quickly lost popular support.

[10] By the end of the 20th century, anti-smoking campaigns in Germany were unable to exceed the effectiveness of the Nazi-era climax in the years 1939–41 and German tobacco health research was described by Robert N. Proctor as "muted".

[43] As scientific evidence mounted in the 1980s, tobacco companies claimed contributory negligence as the adverse health effects were previously unknown or lacked substantial credibility.

[46] Today Russia leads as the top consumer of tobacco followed by Indonesia, Laos, Ukraine, Belarus, Greece, Jordan, and China.

Before packaging, the tobacco is often combined with other additives to increase the addictive potency, shift the product's pH, or improve the effects of smoke by making it more palatable.

[56] These nicotinic acetylcholine receptors are located in the central nervous system and at the nerve-muscle junction of skeletal muscles; whose activity increases heart rate, alertness,[6] and faster reaction times.

Because teenagers are influenced more by their peers than by adults [dubious – discuss], attempts by parents, schools, and health professionals at preventing people from trying cigarettes are often unsuccessful.

[76] A similar study suggested that individuals may play a more active role in starting to smoke than has previously been thought and that social processes other than peer pressure also need to be taken into account.

[128][129] In countries where there is a universally funded healthcare system, the government covers the cost of medical care for smokers who become ill through smoking in the form of increased taxes.

Two broad debating positions exist on this front, the "pro-smoking" argument suggests that heavy smokers generally do not live long enough to develop the costly and chronic illnesses that affect the elderly, reducing society's healthcare burden, and the "anti-smoking" argument suggests that the healthcare burden is increased because smokers get chronic illnesses younger and at a higher rate than the general population.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published research in 2002 claiming that the cost of each pack of cigarettes sold in the United States was more than $7 in medical care and lost productivity.

"[131] Other research demonstrates that premature death caused by smoking may redistribute Social Security income in unexpected ways that affect behavior and reduce the economic well-being of smokers and their dependents.

[132] To further support this, whatever the rate of smoking consumption is per day, smokers have a greater lifetime medical cost on average compared to a non-smoker by an estimated $6000.

By 2030, the World Health Organization (WHO) forecasts that 10 million people a year will die of smoking-related illness, making it the single biggest cause of death worldwide, with the largest increase being among women.

Sema, the Anishinaabe word for tobacco, is grown for ceremonial use and is considered the ultimate sacred plant since its smoke is believed to carry prayers to the spirits.

Countries that sign on as parties agree to a set of common goals, and minimum standards for tobacco control policy, and to cooperate in dealing with cross-border challenges such as cigarette smuggling.

The directive does not include advertising in cinemas and on billboards or using merchandising – or tobacco sponsorship of cultural and sporting events that are purely local, with participants coming from only one Member State[155] as these fall outside the jurisdiction of the European Commission.

For example, in the countries of the European Union, Turkey, Australia[157] and South Africa, cigarette packs must be prominently labeled with the health risks associated with smoking.

[162][163][164] The World Health Organization recommends the complete ban of all types of advertisement or product placement, including at vending machines, at airports and on internet shops selling tobacco.

In many countries, including the United States, most European Union member states, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa, Israel, India,[18] Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica and Australia, it is illegal to sell tobacco products to minors and in the Netherlands, Austria, Belgium, Denmark and South Africa it is illegal to sell tobacco products to people under the age of 18.

Several countries such as Ireland, Latvia, Estonia, the Netherlands, Finland, Norway, Canada, Australia, Sweden, Portugal, Singapore, Italy, Indonesia, India, Lithuania, Chile, Spain, Iceland, United Kingdom, Slovenia, Türkiye and Malta have legislated against smoking in public places, often including bars and restaurants.

[174] Quitting smoking often involves advice from physicians or social workers,[18] cold turkey, nicotine replacement therapy, contingent vouchers,[175] antidepressants, vaping,[176] hypnosis, self-help (mindfulness meditation),[177] and support groups.