Tobacco is a plant grown for its leaves that are smoked, chewed, or sniffed for a variety of effects. It is considered an addictive substance because it contains the chemical nicotine. The tobacco plant is believed to have originated in the Western Hemisphere. The cultivated species most often grown for North American and European tobacco products is Nicotine Tabacum. The leaves of the plant are prepared for smoking, chewing, or sniffing. In addition nicotine tobacco contains over 45 carcinogens and more than 4,000 chemicals. (Cain 35) Prior to European influence in the Americas, the Indians of Mexico and Peru used tobacco for their ceremonies, medical purposes and to alleviate hunger pains during famines. Columbus is credited with introducing tobacco into Europe. Tobacco use became widely accepted by the Portuguese, Spanish, French, British, and Scandinavians. Explorers and sailors who became dependent upon tobacco began planting seeds at their ports of call, introducing the product into other parts of Europe and Asia. The colonist introduced tobacco on the American continent in the early 1600's. It became a major crop and trading commodity of the Jamestown Colony. (Hammond 67)
             Over the years tobacco has been claimed as a cure for a wide range of ailments with varying forms of administration. Its social importance also grew over the years, even to the point of denoting the "modern women" during the 1st part of the twentieth century. It was not until the 1960's, with the introduction of medical research related to cigarette smoking that the adverse health effects of the tobacco became widely publicized. Unfortunately, most of the health hazards were only associated with cigarette smoking. While the number of cigarette smokers in the United States has continually decreased over recent years, the number of smokeless tobacco users has steadily increased. Since the 1970's a 15-fold increase in smokeless tobacco has been noted in adolesc...