We smoke a cigarette without knowing what cigarette is? We have a right to know what we smoke. After all, the smoke we inhale does affect us. Smoking is for relaxation and pleasure. How does a cigarette relax us?
What Cigarette Is Made Up Of?
The burning of a cigarette leads to the creation of 4,000 chemical compounds, which are carcinogenic and toxic. A cigarette is made up of tobacco leaves combined with additives. It is wrapped in a cylindrical paper wrap, which is ignited and smoked.
What cigarette is, is better appreciated if one realizes that cigarette smoke consists of carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, nitrogen oxides and ammonia. Around forty-three known carcinogens are found in mainstream smoke as well as sidestream smoke or both.
A cigarette also contains nicotine, which is addictive and toxic. The smoke inhaled enters the lung and can cause health problems. The smoke also has a psychoactive effect on the smoker.
Cigarettes were in use in Central America in the 9th century in the form of smoking tubes and reeds. The Maya, followed by the Aztecs later on smoked psychoactive drugs and tobacco. They also highlighted deities and priests smoking on temple engravings and on pottery.
Both the cigar and the cigarette were popular in Mexico, Carribean and South America until recent times. Cigarettes were mostly unknown among the English-speaking people before the Crimean War. The British soldiers started emulating the Ottoman Turks, who rolled their tobacco with newsprint.
The word cigarette came into vogue sometime during the 18th century. The beggars picked up the cigar ends thrown by rich, young men, popularly known as senoritos, and rolled them into a paper and smoked them. The use of cigarettes became popular during and after the Crimean war. During World War I and II, cigarettes were rationed to the soldiers. The second half of the 20th century saw the bad effects of cigarettes and these were mentioned on the cigarette packets.
Now, most smokers are trying their level best to quit smoking. They have become conscious of its ill effects. Even respective Governments are organizing anti-smoking campaigns. Smoking has become rampant among teenagers and much efforts are on to make them health conscious. Research is on to tackle the problem of second hand smoke.
