[Technosoul]

Quote by: Marilyn Monroe You just might be in denial, I used to be that way, too, till I quit. My life would have been so much better without that all consuming habit. Ever panic when you are down to your last couple of cigs? Then the rushing to the store for that stinkin' pack of weeds. I found this site on the history of tobacco. Since the 1600's it has been thought to be harmful without scientific research. Makes sense that anyone could figure that out. Breath is life. Sticking smoke in those precious lungs can't be a good thing. Tobacco has always been under fire, not just in recent history, but it brought in a lot of money, so it got overlooked a good bit of the time. Tobacco Timeline: The Seventeenth Century--The Great Age of the Pipe Excerpt: 1600: BRAZIL: AGRICULTURE: European cultivation of tobacco begins 1600: ENGLAND: Sir Walter Raleigh persuades Queen Elizabeth to try smoking 1601: TURKEY: Smoking is introduced, and rapidly takes hold while clerics denounce it. "Puffing in each other's faces, they made the streets and markets stink," writes historian Ibrahim Pecevi. 1601 (approx): Samuel Rowlands writes, But this same poyson, steeped India weede In head, hart, lunges, do the soote and cobwebs breede With that he gasp'd, and breath'd out such a smoke That all the standers by were like to choke. 1602: ENGLAND: Publication of Worke of Chimney Sweepers (also referenced as Chimny-Sweepers or A Warning for Tabacconists [sic]), by an anonymous doctor identified as 'Philaretes' states that illness of chimney sweepers is caused by soot and that tobacco may have similar effects. "Tobacco works by evaporating man's 'unctuous and radical moistures'- as was demonstrated in the fact that it was employed to cure gonorrhea by drying up the discharge. But this process, if too long continued, could only end by drying up 'spermatical humidity,' too, rendering him incapable of propagation. Experience also showed that tobacco left men in a state of depression, 'mopishness and sottishness,' which in the long run must damage memory, imagination and understanding." Based on 'the humours', Philaretes discussed many of the health risks which were later proven to be true. (Brian Inglis, The Forbidden Game: A Social History of Drugs, New York, Charles Scribner's Sons, 1975.) 1602: ENGLAND: Roger Markecke writes A Defense of Tobacco, in response to Chimneysweeps (LB) 1603: ENGLAND: Physicians, upset that tobacco is being used by people without a physician's prescription; complain to King James I.(TSW) 1604: ENGLAND: King James I writes "A Counterblaste to Tobacco" 1604: ENGLAND: TAXES: King James I increases import tax on tobacco 4,000% [from 2 pence/lb to 6 shillings 10 pence/lb. His majesty seems, however, to have advanced very substantial reasons for this virtual prohibition of tobacco; for if any circumstance can justify what are termed "strong measures" on the part of a government, certainly the wanton luxury and debauchery of its people must be amongst the best apologies for a stretch of power, which might, in other respects, have been deeed arbitrary, and unbecoming a British monarch.-- Tatham, "An Historical and Practical Essay on the Culture and Commerce of Tobacco" (1800) 1605: ENGLAND: Debate between King James I and Dr. Cheynell.(TSW) 1606: SPAIN: King Philip Ill decrees that tobacco may only be grown in specific locations--including Cuba, Santo Domingo, Venezuela and Puerto Rico. Sale of tobacco to foreigners is punishable by death.

At least you are posting something that fits this forum (society and rights) instead of posting something that belongs in the science forum.

Historically people were paranoid about tobacco, a substance which was historically used by Native Americans for religious purposes.

And no doubt much debate about it was conducted. When it was first introduced overseas it was pretty strong stuff, people would inhale it, get dizzy, and even fall down. They thought that was a fun thing to do for some reason. Later milder brands were made, and a switch from the pipe to the cigarette.

People always are suspect of new things of course. They debated about the first inventions of the airplane also, and so forth. They feared sailing to far out into the ocean because you might fall off the edge of the flat earth. ( a few generations before tobacco was discovered in America ).
They were paranoid about Witches and smoking was a pagan activity.

Of course it would seem logical that breathing fresh air is better then breathing smokey air. Back then old age was around 40, now humans live much longer in spite of smoking and smog. And we are now busy debating global warming, some are paranoid and some are not. Some say it is good science and some say we need more study on the subject, or that other causes for global warming are possible. But you are right. Debating is a historical pastime. For which reason Volconvo was created.

I have already agreed that addiction is the biggest problem with smoking tobacco. But remember, people are addicted to lots of things. Some people might panic if their TV set starts to go on the blink, because they gotta have their next "fix" of Oprah (whatever). Lucky for them a TV lasts longer then just one day.

I have addressed denial already in one of the early postings I made in this thread. I hate to repeat things over and over. If everyone in your peer group tells you that smoking pot and doing drugs is really great would you be going into denial for not believing your friends? Yes. But you see, denial can be a good thing. If a scary Witchdoctor told you that he put some voodoo on you and that you would get sick, if you do not believe it then the brainwashing cannot work on you, but if you do believe that the Witchdoctor has majical powers, then you can become sick, due to the power of suggestion.

The power of suggestion is very powerful. But you can use denial to void that power. People who study phychology and advertising know all about that, scientifically.

A lot of poor people are getting sick because they believe that 2nd hand smoke will make them sick. The advertising is doing more harm then good. They believe that smelling tobacco will trigger some breathing problem they have. Because they believe it. If they would deny that suggestion , they would be much better off.

Denial is a method of prevention relative to health. In many situations.