Cigarettes. Historical note. Part 2.
To tobacco spreading favored the following factors:
Newness. The Old World inhabitants are captivated by everything what then took place in America.
Health benefit. Those times, where considered that with help of tobacco it is possible to treat ulcer, migraine, skin and infectious diseases, to use it like analgesic during pain.
Economy. Tobacco cultivation gave stabile profit, eventually, she has dictated attitude of entire west-European society to tobacco.
Also tobacco had opponents. King of England James I just at the beginning of 17th century repeatedly has spoken against smoking, considering this habit harmful for health, playing into the hands of Spanish trade (the main opponent of England that time). The King has stated that tobacco smoking brings people in pacific condition and by this weakens military power of country, what is quite fair. The King has introduced high duty for tobacco import in England, but in France the same has undertaken Cardinal Richelieu.
These soft and civil anti-tobacco measures haven't influenced significantly on tobacco spreading but only favored for clandestine importation prosperity. In Turkey combated with tobacco with much serious measures as smoking often became the reason of fires. Smokers were exposed to physical punishment, humiliating ceremonies and even were condemned to death. Though all prohibitions and admonitions as they couldn't extirpate tobacco smoking those times, as well they don´t help and today when each man from early childhood is known that "smoking kills".
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