This document discusses the harms of tobacco use and provides a history of tobacco cultivation and smoking. It notes that tobacco was first cultivated as early as 6000 BC in some regions. In 1492, Christopher Columbus and his men encountered indigenous people in the Americas smoking dried tobacco leaves wrapped in palm or maize leaves. By the late 15th century, smoking had spread to Spain and became popular. The document outlines the various types of tobacco products and notes there are over 4000 chemicals in tobacco, more than 60 of which cause cancer. It discusses the health, economic, and social impacts of tobacco use, highlighting that it causes over 5 million deaths worldwide each year and costs economies billions in health care costs. The summary provides an overview of the