Amongst the worst habits or ills that have been cultivated by mankind, smoking can be considered on top of the list. It is said that the origin of smoking lies in its use in ritualistic worship of gods and deities which later became an acceptable social norm.

People build tolerance to tobacco as well as dependence due to the presence of Nicotine that in Tobacco. Children in school and colleges try out smoking because of peer pressure as well as a thrilling experience to be considered fashionable. It doesn't take long for them to get addicted to the habit of smoking. Even when people wish to stop smoking, the withdrawal symptoms that arise in the smoker forces him to go back to smoking. Smoking is considered to be one of the main causes of preventable deaths that occur amongst society as reported by World Health Organization. Smoking is said to be causing over 5.4 million deaths every year all over the world.

It was during the world wars that the cigarettes has the highest demand from the soldiers and the army. Cigarettes were a part of the monthly canteen ration that was provided to the soldiers in the army by the Government. It was after the Second World War that the medical science began to publish the ill effects of smoking on the health. It fact the Government began taking action when the medical research proved with its research a definitive relationship between smoking and caner. Since that time all the cigarette companies have been as per legal requirement, had to print a statutory warning on all cigarette packs.

Cigarettes are manufactured using tobacco mixed with other additives. The vapors when inhaled reach the lungs through the windpipe where it mixes with the alveoli and enters the blood stream. When the additives reach the blood stream, they manage to trigger a reaction in the nerve endings that result in increased sensitivity, heart rate as well as sensitivity and alertness.This results in the release of Dopamine and endorphins in the system which is known to give a pleasurable sensation.

It is due to the ill effects of smoking resulting in death that has given rise to many a awareness groups that are working on increasing the awareness amongst communities and to discourage smoking. It has also been seen that the cigarette sales have an economic impact on the society as well as economy of the state. On one hand the cigarette sales yield huge amounts of revenues in the form of taxes to the Governments. On one hand the Governments are intent on banning smoking but then they stand to loose out on the revenue collection. It has also been accused by many campaigners that the common man's tax money is going into paying for the treatment of the people who are addicted to smoking and fall ill because the Government bears their medical expenses. They believe and argue that the people who know that they can get cancer due to smoking continue to do so and fall ill, only to use the Government to bear their health expense and this is nothing but the common man's money paid as taxes.

With spread of education, modernization and increased awareness we are seeing a decline in the growth of smoking communities in developed as well as developing countries.