Smoking is an act/habit of inhaling fumes from a burning cigarette or beedi or pipe. Generally, tobacco is the major content of them, rarely with other blend/stuff.

A smoker not only pollutes himself, but also makes others to smoke passively. Most people who live around smokers smoke many cigarettes unconsciously and unknowingly.

Origin of smoking tobacco - Herbs usually produce fragrance while they are burnt. Initially, Egyptians and Greeks were found to inhale fumes of burnt herbs for medicinal purpose. Researches suspect that America must be the birthplace of tobacco, since only after Columbus it has been known to spread all over the world. The Portuguese take the credit of introducing the smoking habit in India. Tobacco is generally used in various ways i.e., smoked, snuffed, chewed, drunk or rubbed against skin. It had been learnt that ancient doctors sometimes prescribed tobacco smoking to soothe nerves.

The addictive effect of tobacco made people use tobacco persistently. Originally, they smoked raw, folded tobacco leaf, followed by other advancement, paper rolled, filtered, flavoured, etc. Kings used to smoke on those days with specially made mouth tube from a burning bowl. Blending other herbs and aromatic substances with tobacco may vary according to the craving or desirable taste of the smoker.

Smoking habit - Every smoker knows people had suffered due to the smoking habit and it had finally snuffed out their lives. Even then, they continue the habit. In fact, every 10 seconds, a smoker gets killed by this habit.

This habit development is a preventable social act with effective anti-smoking campaign, teaching the bad effects of smoking and to cope with life's challenges. Teens should be made aware that the after-effects of smoking will be more dangerous than the punishment for smoking from their parents. People should realise that the smoking habit often lays the foundation stone for drug addiction.

To make a healthier tomorrow, steps have been taken by every government/country to stop smoking i.e., through restriction in advertisement, statuary warnings, restricted sales to under 18s, ban on smoking in public places, increasing taxation to make smoking cost more, etc. In spite of all these, cigarette sales stay high.

Statistics of smokers – From the Christian era till the last decade, the uptrend has been identified in spite of all anti-smoking campaign, statutory warnings, increased tax, etc. But awareness about the side-effects of smoking and fear of lung cancer and heart attacks drags has brought down the incidence in this last decade throughout the world. But it is pathetic to note women and teens statistics seem to remain in uptrend. Depression and club activities often lead one to this addiction. Smoking parents become the main culprits for passing the habit to their children.

Contents of Tobacco smoke – The major constituents are tar, nicotine, carbon monoxide, ammonium compounds, acetone, methanol, phenol, napthalene, butane, mercury, lead, cadmium, urethane, arsenic, hydrogen cyanide, etc. Many of these are carcinogenic i.e., have the tendency to produce cancers.

Addiction - Any routine habit will go to our subconscious mind and remain there to induce us to do our routine routinely. More than that, smoking addiction is extraordinary craving mainly due to nicotine and ammonium compounds. They will trigger our brain to pass signal for top up of addictives, once satiety level drops.

Many people would state a variety of reasons for their smoking.

Some would say they get relieved of constipation.
Some would say they feel fresh and active after smoking.
Some would say they have good sleep after smoking.
Some others would say they find mental freshness and are able to concentrate well.

In reality, nicotine and other compounds in tobacco smoke are found to stimulate brain temporarily. But one should be aware that every action has its own opposite reaction. So, this addictive booster will finally end in retardation of brain activities and premature ageing. So, altogether, a smoker will get fenced and will be made to remain on the dark side of health in the midst of his/her own smoke.

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