Global+Attitudes+to+Tobacco

There is a wide range of attitudes and opinions towards the smoking of tobacco. These views have changed over time and as new information comes to light. This page explores some of the different views on tobacco. The topics looked into are: religious views on tobacco, youth views on tobacco and how the views on tobacco differ from one continent to another.
 * Introduction:**

__Native Americans:__ The Native Americans, who are the original smokers of tobacco, smoked it from a pipe. This act was considered sacred and was a common religious practice among the various tribes. Smoking tobacco was considered sacred because it was thought that by practicing this act, prayers reached the heavens through the smoke. A variety of tobacco plants were used in these ritual, depending on the tribe and their location. __Christianity:__ Smoking tobacco was considered to be immoral and a sinful act by some preachers and priests well before science discovered the health hazards. Though smoking is not prohibited in Christianity, the religion does ban everything that is not used for the right reasons. Also, the quotation "a person who has eaten his fill will not be tempted by honey" in the Book of Parabells is interpreted to mean that a person resorting to the use alcohol, drugs and tobacco is one who is "a weary person defeated by Satan and by sin" (Father Wissia Gurgius Marcus).
 * Religious Views on Tobacco Use:**

__Islam:__ Muslims too, are forbidden to smoke because of their religion. According to Muslim scholars, the quote from the Koran "eat and drink but never dissipate. And do not with your own hands cast yourself into destruction" is to be interpreted to also apply to smoking. Recently, an article from the Pakistani newspaper the //Dawn Newspaper// stated, " The TFI-Pakistan, a project of Network Consumer Protection, said the Muslim scholars from all schools throughout the world had already decreed smoking as impermissible or 'Haram'."

__Judaism__: Until recently, smoking or snuffing tobacco was a very common practice among Jews according to the Online Jewish Encyclopedia. Today, there are a lot of Jews who work in the Tobacco industry. However, when tobacco was brought to Europe, it was not accepted by everybody. Many rabbis were against the smoking of tobacco, especially on Sabbath. Interestingly enough, rabbis debated over the use of tobacco from a legal- not moral- point of view. However, not long ago (May 2006 to be precise), tobacco was smoking was forbidden by the Va'ad Halacha which is the Jewish Law committee (which is part of the Rabbinical Council of America).

__Jehovah's witnesses:__ Jehovah's witnesses around the globe do not smoke as part of an interpretation of this segment of the Bible: "...clean ourselves of every defilement of flesh" (2 Corinthians 7:1).

__Hinduism__: In Hinduism, tobacco- like other harmful things- is forbidden since it is viewed to be immoral and sinful. Tobacco was not present in ancient India, but its consumption today is still growing. It is also thought that one should not smoke for the sake of others (passive smoking), because causing harm to others is a sin too.

__Buddhism:__ In Buddhism, vice and sin are shunned but there is no rule or prohibition concerning tobacco like there is with other addicting materials (ex. alcohol, drugs). In fact, many Buddhist monks are smokers. Because the monks are supposed to set examples for people, programs were created to help them quit the habit. Even though 15 years ago the percentage was double what it is now, today still around 25% of the monks smoke.

__Middle School:__ According to the 2007 Florida Youth Tobacco Survey (in which around 5000 middle schoolers and 4000 high schoolers were interviewd from 188 public school in Florida), the percentage of middle schoolers who did not think that tobacco use helps you make friends, be cool and fit in increased a lot between 1999 and 2000. This percentage has remained stable from 2000 onward. The general attitude is anti-tobacco.
 * Youth Views on Tobacco**:

__High School:__ The results for the high schoolers in the 2007 FYTS are very much the same as the middle schoolers. Tobacco use is not considered to be 'cool'. One noticable difference between the middle school and high school results is that the attitude of high school students changed dramatically between 1998-1999 and have not changed much, whereas the attitudes of the middle school students changed in 1999-2000.

__Europe:__ Smoking is generally on the way out in Europe. The people who smoke is decreasing and more and more smokers are trying to quit. Also, the majority of the in habitants of the European Union are in favor for a ban against smoking in public areas. A survey, commissioned by the General Health and Consumer Protection of the European Commission and preformed by the TNS Opinion & Special, showed that in every country in the EU, the majority of the population wanted a smoke ban, except for Czech Republic were it was only 50%. Source: [|Attitudes of Europeans towards Tobacco]
 * Different Continents, Different Views:**

__North America__: Like in Europe, the dangers of smoking have been indentified and publicized in North America. For example, the hazards of smoking are being taught to children at school. A survey of adults in Ontario, Canada done by the Univerity of Toronto and the Department of Public Health Sciences to determine the public's views and opinions on tobacco showed that the majority of the public was in support of the regulation of tobacco. They also thought that the industry is being dishonest and deceitful when it comes to the selling of cigarettes. More than half of the interviewed said that they though that cigarettes are too hazardous to the consumer's health to be sold. In short, the public generally supports measures against the tobacco industry.

media type="youtube" key="fte0sHKy2EU&hl=en" height="355" width="425" This is an interview done by Nick Di Marco from Towerlight, where he askes several people for their opinion on the smoking ban in Baltimore.

__Asia:__ In the western world, smoking is decreasing. However, this does not apply to most Asian countries, where the number of smokers is still increasing (this is thought to be due to the many smoking advertisements). Also, health hazards and the dangers of tobacco are not so widely known in Asia. Smoking is acceptable and even respectable in society. Smoking cigarettes gives the person the image of being kind and generous since offering somebody a cigarette has become a sign of hospitality in many Asian communities, according to a tobacco report on Southern Asia from NAWHO (National Asian Women's Health Organization). It is even considered rude to decline a cigarette when offered.

__Information:__ Agençe France-Presse. “Buddhist monks find it hard to quit.” __ABC Science__. 7 May 2008 <[|http://www.abc.net.au/‌science/>.] Path: News in Science; Stories; s1380995. “Article from Dawn Newspaper.” __World Health Organization__. 5 May 2008 <[|http://www.emro.who.int>.] Path: Religion and Tobacco; Council of Islamic Ideology declared tobacco use as an ‘un-Islamic’ act. Ashley, Mary Jane. __What the Public Thinks about the Tobacco Industry and Its Products__. __Tobacco Control Online__. 2003. U of Toronto. 11 May 2008 <[|http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/‌cgi/‌content/‌abstract/‌12/‌4/‌396>.] Florida Department of Health. __Social Attitudes towards Tobacco Use__. Spring 2007. Florida Department of Health. 11 May 2008 <[|http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/‌cgi/‌content/‌abstract/‌12/‌4/‌396>.] Jacobs, Joseph, and Judah David Eisenstein. “Tobacco.” __Jewish Encyclopedia__. 7 May 2008 <[|http://www.jewishencylcopedia.com>.] Path: T; Tobacco. “Jewish Law and History on Smoking.” __Wikipedia.org__. 7 May 2008 <[|http://www.wikipedia.org>.] Marcus, Wissa Gurgius. “The Christian View on Smoking.” __World Health Organization__. 5 May 2008 <[|http://www.emro.who.int>.] Path: Religion and Tobacco; Christian View on Smoking. NAWHO. __Health Risks: Need for Prevention__. 7 May 2008 <[|http://www.nawho.org/‌site/‌c.ipILKTOCJsG/‌b.3508253/>.] Path: Health risks need for prevention. TNS Opinion Social Network. __Attitudes of Europeans towards Tobacco__. __Eurobarometer__. May 2007. European Commission. 11 May 2008 http://ec.europa.eu/‌public_opinion/‌archives/‌ebs/‌ebs_272c_en.pdf
 * Bibliography (made using Noodlebib):**

__Images:__ [|www.britannica.com] [|www.jupiterimages.com] [|www.flickr.com]

Note: some images have a link attached to them which will direct you to the site where they were found.

__Video__: The video was found with youtube (search 'Smoking Ban Interviews' or use the link below) Link: [|Smoking Ban Interviews clip]