A Brief History of Tobacco

Tobacco Control ProjectDepartment of Preventive MedicineUniversity of Kansas School of Medicine

Cigarettes are Sublime?

“Warning smokers of the dangers entices them more powerfully to the edge of the abyss, where, like travelers in a Swiss landscape, they can be thrilled by the subtle grandeur of the perspectives on mortality opened by the tiny terrors in every puff. Cigarettes are bad. That is why they are good - not good, not beautiful, but sublime.”

Klein, Richard. (1993). Cigarettes are Sublime. Durham: Duke University Press.

1492-1800

Ford, Barry. (1994). Smokescreen. Perth, Australia: Halcyon.

Production Use Policy

Puffed, chewed,snorted, drankjuice, applied asa paste

Indigenous peoplesin Americas

Spain used cigars,papaletes

Legal tender insome countries

Hated but taxed inEngland

Air or wood-firecured for dark,strong tobacco

France dev. cigarette Most used chew

tobacco in U.S.

At times forbiddenin Russia, India,Turkey, Persia

Early Anti-tobacco Marketing?

“A custom loathsome to the eye, hatefull to the Nose, harmfull to the braine, dangerous to the Lungs, and in the black stinking fume thereof, neerest resembling the the horrible Stygian smoke of the pit that is bottomlesse.”

King James I,. (1604) A Counterblaste to Tobacco, as cited in Ford, Barry, (1994). Smokescreen. Perth, Australia: Halcyon.

1801-1900

Ford, Barry. (1994). Smokescreen. Perth, Australia: Halcyon.

1901-Today

Kluger, Richard. (1996). Ashes to Ashes. New York: Knopf; Ford, Barry. (1994). Smokescreen. Perth, Australia: Halcyon.

Tobacco Was Decidedly Less Cool in the ‘80’s

“Do you mind if I smoke?”

“Not at all! Do you mind if I fart?”

Steve Martin

Missed Opportunities?

1906 Food and Drug Act

1966 Fair Labeling and Packaging Act

1970 Controlled Substance Act

1972 Consumer Product Safety Act

1976 Toxic Substances Act

Kluger, Richard. (1996). Ashes to Ashes. New York: Knopf

Perspectives on the Problem

It’s an individual choice

Children must be protected

Smokers are addicted

Smoking is immoral or deviant

Smoking is disgusting

All nonsmokers must be protected

Smoking is sublime

Adapted in part from Rabin, Sugarman, Eds. (1993). Smoking policy: Law, politics, & culture. New York: Oxford