The history of smoking can be dated to as early as 5000 BC and has been registered in many different cultures across the globe. Early smoking evolved in association with religious ceremonies; as offerings to the gods, in cleansing rituals or to allow shamans and priests to alter their minds for purposes of divination or spiritual enlightenment. After the EuropeanĀ disquisitionĀ andĀ subjectionĀ of the Americas, theĀ practiceĀ of smoking tobaccoĀ snappilyĀ spreadĀ to the rest of theĀ worldĀ likeĀ fire. InĀ regionsĀ like India and Subsaharan Africa, itĀ intermingled withĀ practicesĀ of smoking(Ā substantiallyĀ cannabis). In Europe, itĀ introducedĀ aĀ newĀ typeĀ ofĀ socialĀ exertionĀ and aĀ formĀ ofĀ medicalĀ inputĀ whichĀ preliminarilyĀ hadĀ beenĀ unknown.
TheĀ artisticĀ perception ofĀ girdingĀ smoking hasĀ variedĀ overĀ timeĀ and from oneĀ place to another; holyĀ andĀ unethical,Ā sophisticatedĀ andĀ vulgar, aĀ nostrumĀ andĀ deadlyĀ healthĀ hazard.Ā OnlyĀ lately, and effectively in industrialized WesternĀ countries, has smokingĀ comeĀ toĀ beĀ viewedĀ in aĀ substantiallyĀ negativeĀ light. Today medical studies have proven that smoking is among the leading causes of diseases such as lung cancer[1], heart attacks[2] and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and can also lead to birth defects. The well-provenĀ healthĀ hazardsĀ of smokingĀ haveĀ causedĀ numerousĀ countriesĀ toĀ instituteĀ highĀ leviesĀ on tobaccoĀ products and anti-smokingĀ juggernautsĀ areĀ launchedĀ everyĀ timeĀ in anĀ attemptĀ toĀ check to smoke. SeveralĀ nations,Ā countries, andĀ metropolisesĀ haveĀ alsoĀ assessedĀ smokingĀ bansĀ inĀ utmostĀ publicĀ structures. Despite theseĀ bans, EuropeanĀ countriesĀ stillĀ holdĀ 18 of theĀ topĀ 20Ā spots, andĀ accordingĀ to the ERC, aĀ requestĀ explorationĀ company, theĀ heaviestĀ smokers are from Greece,Ā comprising,000 cigarettes per person in 2007.