Historical
Evidence of the use and consumption of tobacco by humans can be found as far back as about 10,000 years ago. At that time, the tobacco plant was used and consumed by the Central and North American peoples for religious, cultural and medicinal purposes. After the discovery of America by the Spanish conquerors, the tobacco plant reached the European continent in the 15th century.
In addition to the initial use of tobacco as a medicinal plant, the consumption of tobacco as a stimulant also increased among the European population from this time onwards. Whereas tobacco was initially consumed mainly in the form of pipe smoking and snuff sniffing, with the onset of industrialisation in the 18th century consumption shifted to cigars and cigarettes. Due to industrial mass production, cigarettes are now the most widespread form of tobacco consumption.