When Smoke Gets In Your Eyes Look For The Nearest No Smoking Signs

The Use Of Tobacco From 1492 FINAL

The history of tobacco can be traced to 1492 when Columbus discovered the tobacco plant on an island, now known as Cuba, while
as early as 5000 BC, smoking was noted.  In 1600 smoking was popularized in all European nations, who introduced tobacco throughout the world.  Queen Elizabeth 1 also was known to smoke using a tobacco pipe.  The primary use of tobacco, throughout the 19th century, was chewing tobacco, a mixture of molasses with tobacco leaves, first used in the United States. Native American nations, from Canada to Brazil, used tobacco as a cure-all medicine, for instance, to treat toothaches, tumors and help deafness, in ceremonies, and as an intoxicant. After Queen Elizabeth’s 1 death in 1603, King James 1 considered banning tobacco as toxic to the brain and lungs and because of its stench. Therefore,  the need for no smoking signs are traceable to the anti-smoking opinion of King James 1.  In 1881, Americans following European preferences started to turn away from the exclusive use of chewing tobacco with the invention of the cigarette rolling machine and safety matches.  Smoking cigarettes developed into a prominent and financially successful domestic industry.

A Pleasure Not Worth Dying For

There are up to 7,000 chemicals in mostly poisonous tobacco smoke. At least 60 are carcinogenic (cancer-causing).  Some chemicals include the carcinogen tar which collects in the lungs,  nicotine which is a powerful drug that promotes addiction, arsenic which is found in rat poison, carbon monoxide (odorless gas) which injures the heart and blood vessels, and ammonia which is used in fertilizers and numerous pesticides.

Smoking causes preventable deaths and kills more than 480,000 people annually, which is more than the primary causes of death including the combined deaths related to AIDS, suicides, murders, outlawed drugs, car accidents, and alcohol. There are an annual productivity loss of $150 billion and healthcare costs of almost $170 billion with $39.6 billion Medicaid costs, $45.0 billion for Medicare costs, $23.8 billion VA healthcare costs and $6.03 billion for the costs related to second-hand smoke exposure.  Young children and infants also face severe medical risks.

Federal, State And Local Smoking Regulations

There are 5,111 states, cities, and counties regulate the smoking behavior of all forms.  Bans, smoke-free zones, or significant restrictions are put in such areas as workplaces, hospitality areas, restaurants, and bars.

Compliance

A Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement between the four largest tobacco companies and the State governments was entered in November 1998.  This agreement required that the companies invest $206 billion over 25 years with $12.742 billion up-front payments in programs designed to encourage no smoking and to support law enforcement.  Health warnings are present on cigarettes packs since 1966, and most recently the FDA is considering sizable graphic warning labels on cigarette packs.  The most critical notices to the public are the strategic placement of no smoking signs whose placements are consistent with anti-smoking regulations.