Anti-smoking Laws with a Tradition

In an age in which anti-smoking legislation is taking more and more of a hold, many of us will probably be longing for the good old days of tobacco enjoyment.

But many people are not aware of the both varied and significant history of tobacco legislation – although it is as old as the history of tobacco in Europe itself. Apparently, the first European smoker, one of Christopher Columbus’s companions, fell victim to the Spanish Inquisition. The smoke that came from his mouth led people to believe that he was possessed by the devil.

Whether a Turkish sultan, who blamed smokers for a fire in his city and hunted them down, or Hitler, who was planning a smoke-free Europe after the final victory – the history of bans on smoking is long, and the reasons for them varied and always dependent on the personal, political and financial views of the ruler at the time.

However, in the light of the killjoy and nanny tendencies of the current anti-smoking movement, it’s hard not to think of the ascetic Fuhrer who naturally only wanted the best for his people.

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This article was published in the Cigar Journal Winter Edition 2013. Read more