History of Tobacco

History of Tobacco

• Tobacco is derived from the leaves of Nicotiana Tabacum and has been a part of global culture and civilizations for centuries.
• Native people of Mesoamerica and South America first discovered tobacco, which was later introduced to Europe and the rest of the world by European settlers.
• Christopher Columbus was offered dried tobacco leaves as a gift by American Indians on October 15, 1492.
• By the 17th century, tobacco had become a booming trade in Goa, India, with virtually every household smoking or chewing tobacco.
• The British introduced commercially-produced cigarettes in India.

Invention of Cigarettes

• Washington Duke made the first commercial cigarettes in 1865 on his farm in Raleigh, North Carolina.
• James Albert Bonsack invented the first cigarette rolling machine in 1880, replacing hand-rolled cigarettes.

Spread of Tobacco Use

• Frenchman Jean Nicot introduced tobacco to France in 1560, and it then spread to England.
• The first recorded English smoker was a sailor in Bristol in 1556.
• Tobacco use became popular in Europe and eventually around the world.

Burden of Tobacco Use

• Tobacco use is deadly, killing up to half of all lifetime users.
• The average age for initiating tobacco use is 17.8 years, with 25.8% of females starting before the age of 15.
• Every 8 seconds, an Indian dies due to tobacco-related diseases.
• China has the largest number of tobacco users, followed by India.