Smoking

A plant distributed from the Americas

Tobacco was used in the Americas before its diffusion in Europe, with different social and ceremonial practices depending on the populations. Its arrival in other regions gave birth to new habits: pipes, snuff, chewing tobacco and cigars. The industrial cigarette therefore represents a particular stage in a much older history.

The cigarette becomes a mass product

The mechanization of manufacturing, distribution and advertising facilitated the spread of cigarettes. In the 20th century, it became a widely consumed product and integrated into social life. This trivialization has contributed to establishing repeated habits, supported both by the accessibility of the product and by nicotine dependence.

A new reading of its consequences

Tobacco control was built around the documentation of harm and measures targeting consumption, advertising and exposure to smoke. The WHO framework convention provided an international framework for this action. The change also concerns the representation of the product: cigarettes have become a subject of prevention and dependence, accompanied by concrete means to quit.