History of Smoking - Report Example

History of Smoking Although people are quite familiar with the repercussions of smoking and the fact that the Tobacco companies are considered to beone of the largest and most powerful lobby groups in Washington D.C. today, people do not really know as much about the historical significance of tobacco and the importance of the same in American history. Though this paper is not aimed at finding any supporting data or information leaning towards supporting the cause of smoking cigarettes, it will, first and foremost, acknowledge the historical and economic significance of Tobacco in American history. From that point on, a clear discussion will be presented as to the disadvantages of something before finally concluding with suggestions relating to the methods by which a person can successfully quit their smoking habit. Tobacco, the main ingredient of cigarettes has been historically known as an economic driving force in Northern America sin 1612. Jamestown, Virginia actually holds the title for the first British American territory to have cultivated and sold tobacco crop for profit. Even before the tobacco industry became the juggernaut that it has become today, such was the profit being gleaned from its sale that historically, Tobacco was said to have been one of the sources of funds during the time that British America was seeking emancipation as a colony during the British-American war. While the only incarnation that our generation is familiar with in relation to tobacco use is the kind that is processed for cigarettes, people have actually been using tobacco in various ways since the 1800s. It came in chewable forms,the upper class often used the loose forms for stuffing into pipes for after meal smoking, or even fresh hand rolled cigarettes known as cigars. At the time, tobacco processing was still quite expensive and thus limited the public consumption to around 40 cigarettes a year. Commercial cigarettes did not actually become marketable until 1865 when Washington Duke, the owner of a 300 acre tobacco farm in Raleigh, North Carolina began selling cigarettes to soldiers at the end of the civil war. It is important to remember that prior to the invention of the cigarette-making machine by James Bonsack in 1881, all the cigarettes available were being rolled or prepared by hand. He improved the manufacture of cigarettes to the point when 120,000 cigarettes were made through Bronsacks partnership with James Duke. Their factory is credited with having made 10 million cigarettes in its first year, and a billion cigarettes within 5 years. It was at this point that the first brand of cigarettes became a familiar box with baseball card figures in stores known as “Duke of Durham” from the American Tobacco Company (“From the First to the Last Ash: The History, Economics, and Hazards of Tobacco”). Historically, war time America has always benefited from the increasing production of cigarettes. Mainly because the cigarettes were marketed towards the troops leaving for war during World War 1 and 2. They were given free cigarettes everyday at the war zone. This caused an increase in production and the introduction of cigarettes to women in the United States as the male market in the country was down with the men off to war. However, it was not till World War 2 that American women were allowed to join the workforce which provided them with a salary that they could use to buy cigarettes. Cigarette production was up to 300 billion a year in 1944 with 75% of the market being servicemen. The war time era of the country saw the rise of the first 6 big names in cigarette production: Phillip Morris, R.J. Reynolds, American Brands, Lorillard, Brown & Williamson, and Liggett & Myers whose brand is more known as a part of the Brooke Group. By 1964 however, the ill effects of tobacco smoking were becoming better understood and known, prompting the Surgeon General of the United States to write a report about the dangers of smoking. A move that resulted in the Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act, which is the label we are so used to seeing on modern cigarette packs that indicate “Warning: The Surgeon General has determined that cigarette smoking may be hazardous to your health”. By the 80s, the cigarette manufacturers were battling it out on the low-tar front while Congress did its best to protect the public from the hazards of tar and smoke. Passing the 1984 the Comprehensive Smoking Education Act which required the cigarette companies to use 4 types of labels on the cigarette boxes. (“From the First to the Last Ash: The History, Economics, and Hazards of Tobacco”). While the cigarette companies continue to find themselves being pigeon-holed in existence in the United States, they continue to tap new markets overseas where the American brands have come to be admired by the westernized cultures of countries in the Asian, Latin American, and European regions of the world. So exactly how can something marketed as being enjoyable and great tasting be so bad for the health of a person? Tobacco contains a stimulant known as Nicotine. A substance that can cause a strong physical and psychological addiction among people. It is both a vasoconstrictor and a nerve toxin that has been classified as Class I insecticide. It is no wonder that tobacco has been known to have; “... over 4000 chemicals in tobacco out of witch a 100 are identified poisons and 63 are known carcinogens.” (Gladwell, Harold “The Disadvantages of Tobacco Smoking”). Since collective smoking can produce almost the same amount of carbon monoxide poisoning as car exhaust fumes, it is no wonder then that over 3,000 Americans die of lung cancer yearly and 3000,000 children suffer from the effects of “second hand smoke”. Such are the dire effects of smoking on ones health that the adverse effects of cigarettes have been known to have an overall effect on the human body. A few of the major body parts affected by smoking include: Eyes It is proven that different chemicals in tobacco can cause damage to the macula, which represents the most sensitive part of the retina. The tiny blood vessels can burst through the macula, leading to irreversible damage.  Smoking also causes morphological and functional changes to the lens and retina due to its atherosclerotic and thrombotic effects on the ocular capillaries.  Digestive system Smoking is a risk factor for all cancers associated with the larynx, oral cavity and esophagus.  There is no doubt that heavy smokers have laryngeal cancer mortality risks 20 to 30 times greater than non-smokers.  Heart and circulation The two main effects smoking has on the heart and circulation are: an increase in your heartbeat rate, a sharp rise in blood pressure (Gladwell, Harold “The Disadvantages of Tobacco Smoking”) Those who have already become aware of the ill effects of smoking know that it is possible to if not totally reverse the damage done by years of smoking, then at least limit the amount of damage done by simply quitting the health threatening habit. Some of these people can quit “cold-turkey” while others need a little push and help in the right direction. According to the Mayo Clinic, there are 10 safe and healthy ways by which a person can stop smoking. These include: Nicotine Replacement Therapy - to help deal with cravings. Avoiding Triggers - such as bars and stressful situations that can lead one to “light up”. Delay smoking for 10 minutes when a craving attacks - Do something to distract yourself while passing the time. Chew On It - also helps when one is delaying his nicotine craving. Gum or candy will help at this point to ease up on the production of the salivary glands that are destroyed in the smoking process Dont have “just one” - to end the craving. More often than not, having just one leads to another— and you may end up using tobacco again. Get Physical - Physical activity can help distract you from tobacco cravings and reduce the intensity of cravings. Just 30 minutes of moderate physical activity can make a tobacco craving go away. Practice Relaxation Techniques - to take the edge off Call for Reinforcements - composed of a support group of family and friends Remind Yourself of the Benefits - write down why you want to stop smoking and resist the tobacco urge ( Mayo Clinic Staff “Quitting Smoking: 10 Ways to Resist Tobacco Cravings) In the end, one cannot deny the fact that the tobacco industry has helped create the American economy and continues to employ hundreds of thousands of people every year. However, the economic advantages of growing and selling the product does not outweigh the negative effects of smoking. The government, although conscious of the facts relating to smoking, cannot close up a billion dollar industry either. Nor can they mandate that people stop smoking. So the smoking game is all about personal choice and will power. One is more than well aware of the consequences of smoking. If one chooses to continue to smoke then the health risk involved is theirs alone to bear. Works Cited “From the First to the Last Ash: the History, Economics & Hazards of Tobacco”. healthliteracy.worlded.org. healthliteracy.worlded.org. n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2014. Gladwell, Harold. “The Disadvantages of Tobacco Smoking:. steadyhealth.com. steadyhealth.com. 2012. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. Mayo Clinic Staff, “Quitting Smoking” 10 Creative Ways to Resist Tobacco Cravings”. mayoclinic.org. mayoclinic.org. 5 Mar. 2014. Web. 29 Mar. 2014. Read More