Tobacco: A merchandise of death

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For a good part of human history, most world was oblivious to tobacco. In 1492, natives in Central American new world gifted Columbus with various items, as he was embarking on a return journey. These included dried tobacco leaves. Natives used it in religious functions, and also as a currency. Currency it indeed was, for the merchants, empires, and later on for the corporates.

Growth in tobacco consumption was tremendous. Over next 30 years, these leaves became a commodity in Spain and Portugal. In 1559, French King sent Jean Nicot a diplomat, to Lisbon. Tasked with finalisation of a royal marriage, he instead brought back Tobacco plants to France. They were an instant hit. Its leaves and smoke were addictive, soothing to the mind, and apparently cured French King’s sinusitis. Named after Jean, botanists know this plant as Nicotina tabacum, and its active ingredient as Nicotine. French began to grow tobacco.

Demand and supply

Growing demand prompted agriculturists to cultivate tobacco as a cash crop. To generate more revenue, empires began monopolising trade. They brought in slaves from Africa for its cultivation. Hence, genesis of slave trade lies in tobacco. Throughout 17th century, British, Portuguese, Spaniards, Russians as well as French all started cultivating it in their colonies. In 1605, Portuguese brought first plant to India. After many trials and errors, by 1875, Indian tobacco had became worthy of export. Tobacco had gained global popularity, and numerous loyal consumers, who just could not quit. They would either chew or smoke its hand-rolled cigars. This merchandise was already minting money.

James Bonsack invented a cigarette rolling machine in 1880. This soared production to a new level of about 200 a minute. Governments also invested to improve its quality. For instance, in 1936, British established a Cigarette and Tobacco Research Station in India (Currently known as Central Tobacco Research Institute). Cigarettes were supplied to the soldiers, and when they returned from wars, it added to its consumer base. By 1950s, enormous supply further fuelled the demand. More than 40% of all adults in US were smoking cigarettes. Suppliers sold cigarettes as an in-thing, likening them to bravado, stature, and machoism. It was particularly attracting to the young, who hooked on to it.

Discovery of its ills

In 1590, Pope had banned use of it’s leaves inside churches as it had an offensive smell. Later, in 1604, English king James I brought out anti-tobacco laws, as it was addictive. Chinese emperors, Ottomans, and even some city-states made feeble attempts to ban smoking. In 1941, German researchers were first to point out its link to cancers. This was second-world war time, and anything coming from Nazi’s was not to be believed.

Scientific credit for link between tobacco and cancer belongs to Doll and Hill and their famous 1950 BMJ article. Sir Richard Doll never received a Nobel for this work. Instead, study on diseases affecting tobacco-leaves was more worthy. Wendell Stanley earned 1946 Nobel, for his discovery of a novel mosaic virus, that affected tobacco leaves. Remember, leaves were quite a precious commodity by then. On the other hand Doll, Hill, and anti-tobacco lobbyists had more convincing to do.

By 1964, there was little doubt in the scientific world that 90% of lung cancers, and 30% of all other cancers are due to it. Over next few years we knew that it also causes 80% of all Chronic obstructive airway disease and 20% of all heart attacks and strokes. These adverse effects were compiled and released in the same year in US Surgeon general’s report. This was also the time when its consumption was at its peak, and tobacco industry was vehemently in denial of all these charges.

Genesis of anti-tobacco efforts

In 1960s and 1970s corporate profits, national revenues, and gullible dependent consumers all contributed towards denial of ill-effects of tobacco. Further, tobacco lobby feverishly engaged in aggressive advertising, and acquiring more and more loyal consumers. A call for anti-tobacco action culminated in international smoking and health conferences. Early conferences in 1967, 1971, 1975 and 1979 formulated ground as well as policy for smoking control. These efforts led to establishment WHOs international tobacco control program in 1980. Later, these conferences became a regular event, hosted once in every four years.

1980 was still premature for tobacco control efforts. While, a number of postal stamps on the theme were released in the same year, more serious efforts were still a decade away. Most countries across the developing world were still struggling with infectious diseases, child-care, and immunisation. Moreover, many developing countries considered tobacco a problem of affluence, and distant from themselves.

World no-tobacco day

In 1987, World Health Organization announced 31st May as a World No-smoking day. The very next year, it was corrected to a No-tobacco day. This was first global anti-tobacco initiative. It took another decade for World Health Organization to launch a Tobacco free initiative in 1998.

Many countries contributed by their own parallel efforts. In India, Kerala was first state to institute a ban on smoking in public places in 1999. The next year, in 2000 India instituted a complete ban on all tobacco advertisements. We had seen last of the customary cigarette adverts, in public places and movie halls, often promoted by the young role-models of the day.

In the year 2003, World Health Organization adopted framework convention for tobacco control (FCTC). This gave an impetus to tobacco cessation efforts across the world. For instance in India, we prohibited sale of tobacco products within 100 yards of a school in 2004, brought in explicit no-smoking warnings within movie scenes in 2005, and a nationwide ban on smoking in public places in 2008.

Next year, in 2009, government mandated pictorial warnings on cigarette-boxes. Since 2012, it has also became mandatory to play anti-tobacco advertisements in cinema-halls.

A merchandise of death

Since 1980, prevalence of smoking amongst adults has declined. Globally the proportions in men have reduced from around 40% in 1980, to 30% in 2012. Smoking in women has also declined from 10% to 6% in the same time period. The absolute number of individuals who smoke has however increased from 721 million to 967 million today. So the tobacco market, continues to thrive.

Despite a decline in prevalence, tobacco continues to thrive in various forms. Asia has a highest number of tobacco consumers, India is second only to China. Smoking prevalence amongst youth has reduced in all regions of the world, except South and East Asia.

Tobacco is lethal, and yet it is legal. Can we not really live without this merchandise of death ?