The History of Tobacco
Tobacco has a long history in America. Tobacco was first used by the Native Americans for medicinal and ceremonial purposes. When Christopher Columbus reached America in 1412, he became the first European to discover tobacco. When he returned to Europe, he brought a few tobacco leaves and seeds with him.
Tobacco became popular in the mid 16th century as famous adventurers and diplomats like Jean Nicot, from whom nicotine is named, began patronizing the use of tobacco in smoking. By 1700, smoking tobacco became widespread and tobacco industry was established.
There are many species of tobacco, but the most popular is Nicotiana tabacum. Initially, the health hazards of tobacco smoking were not known, but by the early 20th century, numerous scientific and medical journals addressing the health effects of smoking tobacco began appearing. Tobacco smokers were warned about the possible correlation between smoking and lung cancer. In 1952, an article was published detailing the negative effects of smoking. The article made a huge impact on tobacco smokers, and it led to the drastic decline of cigarette sales.
Until now, tobacco is still popular despite the negative health risks. Smoking remains to be a popular past time for people all around the world.
The History of Cigar
The origin of cigar smoking is still unknown. The name cigar was derived from the Mayan term for smoking, sikar. A cigar is a small roll of dried and fermented tobacco leaves. The Mayans smoked tobacco for pleasure, but they use tobacco mainly as part of their religious rituals.
The Mayans introduced the smoking of cigar to the westerners. The westerners, led by Christopher Columbus, were drawn to the primitive cigar smoking and brought it with them on their journey back to Europe.
Cigar smoking became popular in Spain and Portugal, then in Italy and other European nations. Cigars have evolved from the primitive form introduced by the Mayans. The manufacturers of cigar in Spain have developed the art of wrapping dried and fermented tobacco leaves in specialized papers instead of leaves. The cigar grew in popularity as companies were established to grow tobacco for mass consumption.
It is known that smoking cigar can cause health problems, but it continues to be popular around the world. Cigar production and selling are generally accepted as a lucrative business rather than a health risk.
Cigar smoking eventually became a symbol of importance and high social status. Although machines were developed to manufacture cigars, premium hand rolled cigars are still much preferred. Many accessories were also created to enhance the smoking experience of cigar lovers. In some cultures, cigars were often smoked on special occasions.
Cigar smoking became so popular all over the world. Cigars have become a part of the cultural legacy of many nations around the world.