Considering Christopher Columbus and his crew as divine envoys, the indigenous people of San Salvador offered them precious local gifts, including some strange smelling leaves, which Columbus threw into the sea while keeping the others on his ship, the Santa Maria. Those pungent smelling leaves were of great importance for the people of the New World. They smoked them from Y-shaped tubes called Tobago on special occasions. Otherwise, they were used for medicinal purposes, e.g., to soothe aching gums and teeth.

The Red Indians believed that clouds floating in the sky were a result of gods smoking the prized leaves, which until the ‘discovery’ of America by Columbus was unknown to the rest of the world. The use of this almost worshipped plant was controlled by religious rituals. The Indians had tamed a killer, which now claims a human life every 6.5 seconds, around 5 million lives annually.

Tobacco was never meant to be used on a regular basis as a pastime, a meal, an inseparable friend holding a dagger behind its back. In fact, tobacco smoking is a dangerous habit. Outside the active agent nicotine, which is highly addictive, tobacco contains several poisonous agents responsible for a wide range of health risks such as lung, prostate, mouth and breast cancers; cardiovascular and respiratory disorders, diabetes, asthma, etc.

One may argue that these diseases come after long exposure compared to the immediate ‘pleasure’ experienced through smoking. Yet, things sometimes come earlier than expected and then it’s too late for regrets. In any case, is it a real pleasure to be hooked on a drug which impels an average smoker to light up a cigarette every 30 minutes, lest he experience the nasty effects of a drop of nicotine level in his blood?

Moreover short-term, almost immediate consequences of tobacco are: stinking breath, decrease in respiratory capacity hence strength and the image of a weak-willed person. In fact, smokers are looked upon as weak slaves by wiser, healthier and stronger non-smokers. The latter are more likely to seduce than their smoking counterparts. According to an Australian study , out of 130,000 lonely hearts advertising on dating websites, the majority was hooked on cigarettes and pictures of non- smokers were most likely to be hit than tobacco addicts.

Besides exposing themselves to a slow suicide, smokers also threatens the health of people who inhale their toxic fumes. This is called second-hand smoking and is responsible for thousands of deaths and diseases of non smokers annually. That is why authorities in many countries have enforced a smoking ban in public places.

Tobacco smoking is burning both health and money! Huge amounts of money are spent on buying the poison and no less significant ones are used to cure the diseases caused by it. What an absurdity, for a civilization, which calls itself ‘advanced’!

While we cannot turn back the clock and ask the explorers of the New World to dump the pungent smelling plants in the sea for good instead of bringing them back home where their wrong use has developed into a dangerous yet lucrative industry, we still can dump the habit and any temptation to give into it. Your body is not meant to be a dumping ground for poisonous smoke, why not choose to be healthy, save money, be free and choke the deadly industry?

Alain JEANNOT</B>