Tobacco was first used on October 15, 1492 when Christopher Columbus was offered dried tobacco leaves as a gift from the American Indians that he encountered. Soon after that Sailors brought tobacco back to Europe and planted Tobacco plants all over Europe.
Here are some Interesting facts about Tobacco:
. Each day, more than 3,200 people under 18 smoke their first cigarette
· Approximately 18% of high school students smoke cigarettes.
· 8.6 million people live with a serious illness caused by smoking.
· On average, smokers die 13 to 14 years earlier than non-smokers.
· Smokeless tobacco is a known cause of cancer; it causes oral and pancreatic cancer.
.Sugar and cocoa are often added to cigarettes, a fact many diabetic smokers are unaware of.
. Currently, over 5.5 trillion cigarettes are produced globally per year. Cigarettes are an attractive source of government revenue because so many people smoke them.
. Pregnant women who smoke are more likely to deliver not only low birth weight babies but also highly aggressive children.
