The History of Tobacco Use Essay Example

gained access to it. Consequently, early American colonists began cultivating tobacco as their main cash crop and it eventually became their biggest export.

The settlers in Jamestown, Virginia heavily relied on tobacco as their main source of income (Chastain, 2008). This highly addictive substance is widely used worldwide. Since the 1600s, American farmers have been cultivating tobacco as their primary crop (Merchant, 2002). By that time, tobacco had already spread to Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America. Although paper cigarettes were invented around the same period as cigars, it wasn't until 1881 when a patent for a cigarette rolling machine capable of producing 120,000 units per day was issued that cigarette production in factories really took off.

From 1617 to 1793, tobacco was the primary export from English American mainland colonies and the United States. This continued until the 1960s, when the United States became both a major grower and leading manufacturer and exporter of tobacco worldwide (Chastain, 2008). However, since the discovery of the harmful effects of tobacco consumption in 1964, support and sales for tobacco producers and manufacturers have significantly declined. This decline has occurred despite tobacco's substantial contribution to various sectors of the United States economy, including agriculture, fiscal matters, manufacturing, and exporting.

The English settlement in Virginia greatly benefited from the introduction of Spanish tobacco by John Rolfe in 1617. This valuable export product led to a significant economic growth in the colonial Chesapeake region through tobacco production. The trade of tobacco not only provided colonists with manufactured goods and bound labor, but also brought large profits to the merchants of the English settlements.

During the late

17th century, tobacco cultivation in the British Isle was carried out by bond servants. However, as time passed, the labor force mainly consisted of black slaves from the West Indies and Africa. These laborers settled on plantations or quarters, resulting in a significant population growth in the Chesapeake colonies. By 1675, the population had increased from a few hundred to around 35,000 and by 1776 it had surpassed 500,000 (Merchant, 2002). The exportation of tobacco to Great Britain also witnessed a substantial rise, going from 20,000 pounds in 1617 to over 40 million pounds in 1727. Furthermore, after 1700, the agricultural economy became more diverse.

In the early 1770s, many colonists were still producing high volumes of tobacco. Virginia introduced tobacco inspection systems in 1730 and Maryland followed suit in 1747, both aiming to enhance the quality of Chesapeake tobacco exported to Britain and Europe. The average size of the tobacco crops reached 100 million pounds during this period, and the low price of Chesapeake tobacco made it dominant over European competitors, causing an overwhelming demand. By 1775, not only England, but also much of Europe relied heavily on Chesapeake tobacco.

The revenue obtained from selling tobacco played a crucial role in financing the revolutionary war and was also the main cash crop for George Washington, our first president. Cigarettes, which were made by chewing or hand rolling tobacco, gained immense popularity in the 1800s. However, daily tobacco usage was not common during this time. The high demand for tobacco led to the use of African slaves in America. In the late 1800s, commercial advertising targeting civil war soldiers marked the start

of cigarette promotion.

During the Civil War, the consumption of cigars and cigarettes made from tobacco saw a rise (Stuart, 2000). Post-war, there was a significant increase in American tobacco production as smoking tobacco and cigarettes became more popular. The production process still relied on manual labor. After slavery ended, independent white farmers and tenant farmers (both white and black) grew the majority of tobacco in the United States with assistance from their families.

New companies emerged that manufactured tobacco and cigarettes, continuing the tradition of bright leaf, flue-cured tobacco from Durham and Winston-Salem in North Carolina. Through a mix of aggressive advertising, advanced machinery, and ruthless business tactics aimed at eliminating competition, James Buchanan Duke and R. J. Reynolds effectively established multimillion-dollar corporations (Stuart, 2000). These companies grew to become some of the largest and most lucrative in the United States.

After 1890, the consumption of chewing tobacco decreased significantly (Martin, 2012). By the 1920s, the annual per capita consumption of cigarettes in the United States reached about one thousand. This led advertisers to target women and marked the beginning of the era of cigarettes. In 1881, a machine was invented for cigarette manufacturing, which resulted in the opening of the first cigarette factory. The initial advertisement focused on Duke and Durham as a brand. Within its first year of operation, approximately 10 million cigarettes were sold at this factory. However, within five years, sales had exceeded one billion cigarettes (Martin, 2012).

The Marlboro brand, created by the American Tobacco Company owned by Buck Duke, was the pioneer in cigarette commercials. Cigarette sales reached 300 billion annually by the mid-1900s,

leading Marlboro to become one of the largest global cigarette companies. Throughout the early 20th century and beyond, cigarette use was promoted through commercials featuring doctors and cartoons. However, the popularity of cigarette commercials started to decline in the late 1980s.

The use of YouTube to promote cigarettes in 1950s commercials aimed to encourage smoking by providing reasons for its consumption (Qatar News Agency, 2011). Despite challenges such as increased consumer awareness about health risks and government restrictions and taxes, the profitability of the tobacco industry has grown since it entered the global market. In 2012, the industry generated an estimated $465 billion in revenue and a gross profit of $280 billion. Employing over 600 thousand people with wages totaling approximately $11,807.8 million (Stuart, 2000), tobacco sales have remained dominant in recent years, particularly successful in 2010. The worldwide revenue, gross product, and trading in this industry have shown growth rates of 1.9%, 1.6%, and 2.5% respectively compared to 2009. This increase in sales has also contributed to boosted cigarette sales within the United States; however, there has been a stagnation in the number of firms and enterprises with an overall employment decrease of 4.3%. At present, tobacco generates around $600 billion annually worldwide (Martin, 2012).

During the years 1929 through 1989, tobacco culture was transformed into agribusiness by the government, science, and technology through legislation, invention, and mechanization. From 1934 through 1981, tobacco farmers benefited from government price support programs. However, in 1969, the introduction of a successful tobacco harvesting machine for bright leaf tobacco marked the end of labor-intensive, family farm harvesting operations for tobacco farming (Congressional Digest, 2007). By the

early 1980s, machines were used to harvest almost fifty percent of flue-cured tobacco.

Despite facing limited opportunities for cost reduction and mechanization, Burley tobacco grown in Kentucky and Tennessee remained competitive in the cigarette blending market due to its high leaf production (Congressional Digest, 2007). The implementation of advanced machinery resulted in many farmers losing their livelihoods. On average, a pack of cigarettes costs around $5.00 including taxes. Those who smoke a pack per day spend approximately $31.50 per week or $1,638 per year. Individuals who smoke three packs a day can expect to spend about $50,000 on cigarettes each year.

During the early 1960s, the United States surgeon general issued warnings about the dangers of smoking cigarettes. As a result, Congress passed the Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act, which mandated that all cigarettes display a warning label regarding the risks of smoking. Subsequently, another law was enacted by Congress to require even more negative labels on cigarette packages. These continuous legislative advancements have been implemented to safeguard society's best interests.

Tobacco smoking is the main cause of preventable death and disease in Australia, resulting in around 15,000 deaths per year. Kowalski (2008) provides statistics showing that more people die from smoking-related illnesses than from illicit drugs, alcohol, and road accidents combined. Smoking has immediate and long-term effects on both internal and external aspects of the body. Passive smoking occurs when one inhales tobacco smoke emitted by another person.

Extended exposure to second-hand smoke can lead to the same health problems as smoking. The combination of alcohol and smoking increases the likelihood of developing tobacco-related cancers, such as those affecting the

mouth, esophagus, and larynx (Kowalski, 2008). Mixing cannabis with tobacco does not decrease the harmful effects of tobacco use; in fact, it can cause similar health issues and even raise the risk of multiple types of cancer. Combining these two substances also intensifies nicotine dependence.

According to Kowalski (2008), women over 30 who take contraceptives are at a higher risk of death from a heart attack or stroke. Saad (2003) adds that smokers absorb prescription medications faster than non-smokers. Quitting smoking can be difficult, but Qatar News Agency (2011) reports that it can lead to rewarding and life-changing outcomes. Many smokers desire to quit and may have previously tried, as mentioned by Saad (2003).

Many individuals make multiple attempts to quit smoking before achieving success. It is a misconception that low yield cigarettes are healthier, as they are equally addictive and detrimental to one's health. Smokers often compensate for the lower nicotine levels by smoking more or inhaling deeper. These cigarettes are suspected to be responsible for an increase in a specific type of lung cancer located deep within the lungs (Saad, 2003). It should be emphasized that there is no safe level of smoking.

Every cigarette you smoke damages your body, shortens your lifespan, and raises healthcare expenses. Even individuals who don't smoke still incur costs for society by living longer, placing insurance companies at a disadvantage. Smokers often fail to consider that their smoking indirectly impacts the health of others (Qatar News Agency, 2011).

It is not widely known that smokers are the primary source of environmental pollution. Research has proven that smoking causes air pollution and, to some

extent, contaminates the ground as well. A single cigarette holds approximately 4,000 chemicals that are exhaled and released into the atmosphere. In North America, smokers account for 30% of the population, while in developing countries this percentage is even higher (Saad, 2003). Consequently, a substantial quantity of pollution is emitted into the atmosphere on a daily basis.

Smoking not only causes pollution in the air and on the ground, but it also contributes to water pollution. Each day, numerous cigarette butts are discarded on the ground (Braden, 2011), eventually finding their way into lakes and rivers. As a result, fish and other aquatic animals unknowingly consume these butts, leading to their demise. On land, it takes approximately 25-26 years for the decomposition of these butts to occur. The additives and chemicals present in them then seep into the soil, contaminating both the soil itself and plants that rely on it for survival.

Cigarette butts pose a clear threat to the environment, as they can cause significant fires during dry seasons. Additionally, the production of cigarettes has a major negative impact on the environment. Instead of using land to grow tobacco, which harms the environment, it could be used for producing food for third world countries. This would not only be a more beneficial use of the land but also prevent further harm caused by tobacco.

The tobacco plant is highly susceptible to pests and diseases, which necessitates the use of chemicals for its growth and health. However, this practice is detrimental to the environment. Furthermore, the production and packaging of cigarettes involve a significant amount of tree consumption. Rolling and packaging 300

cigarettes requires approximately 4 miles of paper, resulting in the loss of one tree (Braden, 2011). Additionally, cigarette production also leads to water and energy waste. Moreover, cigarette manufacturing units dispose of chemical waste into the soil (Farrell, 2009).

The tobacco industry is significantly burdening the environment due to cigarettes (Farrell, 2009). To mitigate this strain, advanced technology can be employed but it is unlikely that the industry will invest the required extra funds. Implementing such technology would result in the loss of billions of dollars in profits that the industry currently enjoys (Farrell, 2009). The most effective solution to protect the environment from further harm is to cease purchasing this detrimental product.

Despite the challenges of quitting smoking, it can have significant long-term benefits for both personal health and the environment. Smoking not only poses harm to one's health but also has a negative impact on the surrounding environment. With increasing air pollution and evident effects of climate change, the future looks bleak. Quitting smoking is a tough task that often demands months of preparation and detailed plans to overcome nicotine addiction.

For smoking individuals, it is important to prepare themselves to quit smoking for the sake of the environment and healthcare costs, even though abruptly quitting is more likely to have unsatisfactory results. It is crucial for smokers to find support in their efforts to quit because nicotine is recognized as the most addictive drug and quitting becomes extremely challenging once someone starts. Government intervention, such as regulating cigarettes and potentially increasing taxes, could serve as an incentive for people to refrain from buying them.