With that in mind we've pulled together a quick history of tobacco for your reading pleasure.
1000bc – The Mayan’s are believed to have smoked tobacco from a pipe as a religious ritual
1492 – Christopher Columbus was given tobacco leaves as a gift, which he discarded not understanding the value behind them.
1600 – Tobacco was now imported regularly to the UK. Sir Walter Raleigh gave the Queen a pipe, which allegedly made her believe she was poisoned.
1604 – James I set a trend which we still see to this day, he created the first tax on tobacco
1830 – The cigarette is created, originally known as the South American ‘papelate’. It fast became the most popular way to consume tobacco.
1908 – The children’s act enforced a law for no sale to under 16’s which remained in place until 2007 when the age was lifted to 18!
1917 – Cigarettes became rations during the First World War, this was also repeated during World War II
1920 – Women’s demand for cigarettes increased with advertising companies portraying them as a glamorous and sophisticated accessory
1970 – Smoking bans on public transport and in cinemas were introduced
2004 – A ban on smoking indoors led to an increase in people crowding doorways outside clubs, creating a sub-club outdoor culture.
