The Evolution of Smoking: From Ancient Rituals to Modern Addiction Smoking is a really nasty habit, but it’s hard to break. In fact, it’s so habitual that even masses of people keep smoking even though medical evidence shows it’s deadly for them. But why do people do this? Historian Jordan Goodman has explained that an “culture of dependence” is behind the practice, where societies introduce tobacco and people become hooked on its pleasures. Even though smoking is harmful, its intangible qualities (like being a symbol of social status) still encourage people to smoke. Good news is that quitting is really easy once you understand how! Culture and tobacco in the New World Native Americans were so impressed with the new tobacco that they thought it was a sacred plant, and would often offer it up to the gods in their ceremonies. Little did they know that it would eventually give them the biggest headache of all - taxes! Moving on, the origin of tobacco use among Native Ameri...