Are you interested in smoking cigars just for fun, trying to impress your old hippie friends, or are planning on entering the cedar chip biz? Centuries of trials and tribulations have led us to today: the best time to start smoking cigars!
Smoking cigars is about more than just getting giggles from your friends. There are fun smoking cigar facts that we can enjoy, like how their aroma affects our mood and taste.
Let’s learn more about how cigars can add flavor to our existence!
1. It Started With the Ancient Mayans
The history of cigars begins with the ancient Mayans. They are credited with the discovery of smoking tobacco as a cigar. Archaeologists have found evidence of cigar smoking in old Mayan ceramic figures, pipes made out of clay, and the charred remains of cigar tobacco.
Some of the more exciting tobacco smoking facts involve Mayan rituals of cigar smoking. Even before the conquistadors arrived, Mayan priests and rulers had specific protocols for smoking cigars to connect with the divine.
2. Christopher Columbus’ Role in Introducing Cigars
Christopher Columbus is often credited with introducing smoking cigars to the Old World. The explorer is said to have encountered Indigenous people of the Caribbean rolling up leaves and smoking them. He then repurchased this practice in his native Spain, and it slowly gained popularity throughout Europe.
Further, he is said to have invented a unique rolling device for rolling up cigars and smoking them. This device was created out of bone and was eventually used worldwide.
3. People Smoked Cigars for Its Medicinal Benefits
Many people smoked cigars due to their purported healing and relaxing qualities – cigar-smoking facts that may surprise many readers. To start, many ancient civilizations smoked cigars to treat ailments such as asthma and to reduce anxiety.
Furthermore, various herbs, barks, and spices were added to cigars, often believed to improve circulation and relieve headaches and digestive issues. In some cases, cigar smoking was even prescribed by doctors.
4. Cigars Were Offered as Prizes
In the 19th century, tobacco companies offered cigars as prizes for competitions and the carnival. This promotion helped encourage children to read and write, though it is seen as unethical today.
Aside from offering cigars as prizes, cigar smoking has also been associated with great accomplishments and luxury. In cigar history, even today, high-ranking government officials and wealthy individuals have smoked cigars as a symbol of power.
Certain types of cigars are seen as a symbol of wealth and sophistication, such as Cuban cigars and the best Tatuaje cigars, which have long been sought after.
5. Catholic Jesuits Owned Tobacco Plantations
One smoking cigar fact that may surprise you is that during the times of colonial America, the Catholic Jesuits owned and ran tobacco plantations. It was a lucrative enterprise, and it was largely unregulated.
The plant was mainly responsible for the huge influx of wealth which financed the missions of the Catholic Church in America. While the primary purpose of the plantations was to export the crop to Europe and make money, the Jesuits had their reasons for keeping them – they smoked the leaves and used them as a religious implement.
Discover Cigar Facts
Smoking cigars can be a pleasurable, relaxing activity, but it also comes with health risks. There are specific cigar facts that may surprise or shock some people. While smoking cigars may be enjoyable, it is crucial to know the potential risks before taking up the habit.
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