When Were Cigarettes Invented?

We all know how popular cigarettes are today, especially to adults who are smoking them to gain their much-needed relaxing and soothing sensation. Despite the introduction of different forms and types of nicotine products to the market today, cigarettes remain on top as the key source of nicotine. However, it’s important to remember the health risks of smoking, including its strong association with lung cancer, heart disease, and other serious conditions. It’s essential for smokers to be aware of these risks and to consider alternatives for achieving relaxation and stress relief. While cigarettes may provide temporary relaxation, the long-term health consequences are not worth the temporary relief.

The rich history of smoking cigarettes dates back a couple of centuries ago with the discovery of tobacco smoking and its effects on one’s mind and senses. As different countries and cultures use tobacco in different ways, many brands have decided to profit from the plant and convert it into cigarettes, providing users with an alternative way of consuming tobacco without needing longer prep time.

Knowing the history of cigarette smoking can provide valuable insights to those who are curious about these tobacco products. NativeSmokes4Less is here to give you key historical facts about cigarettes as well as how and when different forms of cigarettes have been formulated and invented.

When Were Modern Cigarettes Invented?

Before we dive deeper into the invention of modern cigarettes, it would be best to how people used to consume and prepare tobacco. Cigarettes, after all, are made from tobacco plants to give users the soothing sensation they crave.

Centuries ago, the Aztecs would prepare a hollow reed or cane tube filled with tobacco and smoke them. Native Americans from Mexico, Central America, and South America would then crush the tobacco leaves and roll the shredded leaves in corn husks or other vegetable wrappers. These past forms of tobacco products have been their primary way of consuming nicotine, relaxing their senses and giving them a sense of euphoria.

But the primary product that was invented way before cigarettes were first made was the cigar. Often equated as a symbol of wealth, conquistadors brought back cigars from various places in the world to Spain, turning them into a luxury for the wealthy. NativeSmokes4Less offer a wide range of cigars from different reputable brands, giving you access to these premium tobacco products at competitive prices.

Even after centuries, the perception of cigars remains unchanged today, as they continue to be advertised as a symbol of wealth and power.

So, when did the first cigarettes come in?

The first cigarettes were improvised by beggars in Sevilla during the early 16th century. These tobacco products were made from discarded cigar butts that were shredded and rolled in paper scraps. These makeshift smokes, given their humble origins, have been recognized as cigarillos or small cigars. They then became popular in other European countries like Italy and Portugal by the late 18th century.

French and British troops in the Napoleonic Wars became familiar with these poor man’s smokes, calling them cigarettes for the first time. The use of cigarettes, from then on, would spread further to the United States and other parts of the world.

As more decades passed, cigarette production would change with the introduction of cigarette-making machines. Improvements in cultivating and processing tobacco would also lead to changes in the formulation of cigarettes, making them easier to inhale. These developments have led to the growing demand for tobacco products. They likewise contributed to the production of modern cigarettes.

Before modern cigarettes were invented, tobacco users depended solely on pipes to smoke tobacco. They also have to roll the tobacco leaves on paper before they can smoke them. 

With newer forms of cigarettes, tobacco users don’t have to undergo the tedious process of rolling the tobacco leaves in a paper. They also don’t require pipes before they can smoke. In short, smoking tobacco has become easier with the invention of modern cigarettes.

Modern cigarettes, as of now, are still being used by many smokers all over the world, reaching as many as 1.1 billion cigarette users.

When Were Filtered Cigarettes Invented?

Different tobacco companies have emerged in the past few decades to provide users with options when it comes to traditional cigarettes and other tobacco products. One thing, however, that they all do similarly is to add filters to their cigarette offerings.

When you smoke cigarettes, a lot of particles can get into your body. Even those who are not using these tobacco products can be affected by this through secondhand smoke. Some particles your body may acquire whenever you inhale cigarette tobacco smoke are as follows:

• Tar: Tar is the sticky, brown residue in tobacco smoke that contains hundreds of chemicals, many of which are known carcinogens. It is often released as small particles in tobacco smoke, passing through cigarette filters and being inhaled into the lungs. This particle paralyzes and eventually kills cilia in the lungs which are intended to clear out particles and pollutants. Damaged cilia are less effective at removing tobacco smoke and other pollutants, causing lung diseases.
• Carbon monoxide: Carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourless, and potentially fatal gas that is also present in tobacco smoke. It reduces the oxygen-carrying capacity of red blood cells, causing damage to the body, particularly the cardiovascular system.
• Formaldehyde: Formaldehyde has been classified as a known cancer-causing substance by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, contributing to symptoms like eye, nose, and throat irritation in tobacco smokers. This particular substance can also lead to nasopharyngeal cancer, nose, oral cavity, and throat cancer.
• Hydrogen cyanide: Hydrogen cyanide is considered one of the most toxic agents in tobacco smoke. Inhaling it can cause weakness, restlessness, nausea, and vomiting. It also damages cilia, impairing the lungs’ natural cleaning system and allowing foreign particles and harmful chemicals to accumulate in the respiratory tract.
• Benze: Benzene, another harmful substance in tobacco smoke, has been linked to various health risks. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified it as a toxic compound and a known carcinogen in humans. Being exposed to benzene for a long time can damage the bone marrow. This can lead to a low red blood cell count, causing anemia. Additionally, benzene exposure increases your risk of developing leukemia, a type of cancer that originates in the bone marrow.
• Cadmium: Cadmium has also been classified as a cancer-causing agent by the IARC. Cadmium can damage the cells lining the blood vessels throughout the body, contributing to the development of heart disease and lung cancer.

These are only some of the substances and chemicals that have been determined to be present in tobacco smoke. Notice that if you inhale these chemicals, they can be damaging to your body and could increase your chances of developing different serious illnesses in the lungs and many more.

Now, studies regarding the effects of tobacco smoking have not yet been determined in the late 19th century. Cigarette companies, however, have already decided to incorporate filters into their tobacco offerings. Before, their primary reason for adding filters was to protect smokers against tobacco flakes that could enter their mouths as they smoke cigarettes.

The first major filtered cigarette was introduced in 1931 in the USA, which is known as Parliament (Brown and Williamson). It was then followed by the introduction of Viceroy cigarettes in 1936.

It was only during the early 1950s that different medical studies linked smoking and lung cancer. This is where the tobacco companies started incorporating newer types of filters on their cigarettes. One of the new forms of filters major cigarette brands have added in 1950 is cellulose acetate filters. More filters were launched between the mid-1950s to mid-1960s.

Through these new filtered cigarettes, they intend to make smoking safer while simultaneously keeping smokers hooked on cigarette smoking, believing they have already resolved the issue of harmful substances from tobacco smoke passing through. 

Some companies even heavily promoted these cigarettes, spending a substantial amount of US$15 million or more just to advertise the introduction of new filters on cigarettes.

Now, as more studies confirm the damaging effect of tobacco smoke on smokers in the 1970s, tobacco companies introduced a new set of filtered cigarettes in the market. These cigarettes are known as light and mild cigarettes. 

It is Japan Tobacco International that first introduced mild cigarettes. These cigarettes come in perforated filters. 

To support the claims of a healthier type of filter, industry researchers utilized standard smoking machine tests. They discovered that filter ventilation indeed reduced tar and nicotine concentrations in inhaled tobacco smoke. However, there is a slight downside: the taste of cigarettes has become lighter and milder. Additionally, the tests don’t truly reflect how smokers puff cigarettes in real life.

Since the nicotine intake of smokers has been reduced by filters, they engage in compensatory smoking. It occurs when they take more frequent and deeper puffs to satisfy their cravings. Moreover, they cover the ventilation holes in the filters with their fingers, rendering the filtration ineffective.

The cigarettes you can buy today, even those available at NativeSmokes4Less, come with filters to protect smokers from the harmful chemicals from tobacco smoking. However, research still couldn’t find any evidence regarding the safety of filtered cigarettes, which means they are still deemed harmful and can cause smoking-related health risks in the long term.

In fact, filtered cigarettes have been discovered to be no less harmful than unfiltered cigarettes for both smokers and passive smokers. 

When Were Machine Rolled Cigarettes Invented?

Technology has truly helped different industries move forward. The same thing has happened in the tobacco industry, where tobacco consumption has only improved significantly once cigarette-making machines have been developed and used by many cigarette manufacturers.

But before the machines were invented, cigarettes were only made by hand either by the smokers themselves or in factories. At home, tobacco users roll the tobacco plants in papers and lit them.

In factories, cigarettes were developed by hand rolling the ingredients on a table, pasting, and hand packaging the finished products. It’s then said that each worker can roll up to four cigarettes per minute. With 125 cigarette rollers, a cigarette manufacturer can produce up to 250,000 cigarettes every day. This changed, however, with the entry of a machine intended to keep everything faster.

In 1880, James A. Bonsack patented a cigarette machine, which could feed tobacco onto a continuous strip of paper. It can also form, paste, close, and cut the lengths of the tobacco through a rotary cutting knife. Three years later, this machine was imported to England, symbolizing the growth of the tobacco industry as more manufacturers developed and distributed cigarettes worldwide.

From 250,000 cigarettes, a manufacturer can maximize the machine to produce as many cigarettes in a day as 48 workers could make.

The cigarettes produced by these cigarette-making machines are the ones we already know today. With the machines, it made cigarette production much cheaper and faster. It also made cigarettes more accessible to many since their costs have become lower. These are probably some of the reasons why cigarette smoking has become popular.

Since the costs of producing cigarettes have been hugely cut, tobacco companies allocated their saved budget to marketing cigarettes. This is another reason why cigarettes have become popular as most advertising campaigns would promote cigarettes as a symbol of modernity and youth culture, particularly in the 19th century.

One testament to this is the “It’s Toasted” campaign by the American Tobacco Company. It popularised cigarettes by linking these tobacco products to modernity, sophistication, and glamour. Advertisements often feature celebrities, sports stars, and other cultural icons to further promote cigarettes to the masses.

When Were Marlboro Cigarettes Invented?

Throughout history, women have gone through a lot of difficulties and challenges just to keep their voices heard and attain the rights they deserve. The same thing can even be said about smoking since women, at a certain point in history, were close to being prohibited from smoking in public spaces.

Throughout history, women have faced numerous difficulties and challenges in ensuring their voices are heard and securing the rights they rightfully deserve. This struggle even extends to their right to smoke in public spaces. At certain points in history, women were on the brink of being prohibited from smoking in public, which men could enjoy before without any restrictions.

In the early part of the 20th century, the anti-tobacco movement targeted women and children as part of their campaign. They believed that smoking is a dirty habit that is seriously frowned upon by society if a woman or a child does it. 

To fight for equality, women have increasingly resorted to smoking cigarettes in public spaces, sending a clear message to society. After all, cigarettes were historically associated with emancipation and equality with men. This historical trend coincided with the first-wave feminism movement in the US.

Since cigarettes were the centre of discussion during these times, tobacco companies took this opportunity to market their offerings to women. They began marketing cigarettes to appeal to women, targeting them with ads that feature prominent celebrities and public figures. They even add celebrity testimonials and far-reaching claims of how cigarettes can improve their lives.

One of the companies that took advantage of this trend is Philip Morris Company.

In 1925, the Philip Morris Company introduced Marlboro cigarettes to the public, positioning themselves as women’s cigarettes. These cigarettes were advertised as being as “mild as May, featuring elegant ivory tips to make them appealing. They were blended with Turkish tobaccos and featured extremely mild hits.

For decades, these cigarettes have seen success when it comes to sales figures, which has also become evident by the number of women smoking cigarettes during those years.

However, as more scientific evidence points to cigarettes as a common source of illnesses in the lungs and other parts of the body, Philip Morris Company, alongside other cigarette brands, has to introduce new forms of cigarettes. This is where filtered Marlboros cigarettes enter.

From being an elite cigarette that highly appealed to women, the Philip Morris company transformed it into a cigarette that appealed more to male customers. The new cigarettes from the brand featured stronger flavours. They were also cork-tipped, which appeals more to male smokers. During this time, Marlboro put the cigarettes in the now famous flip-top box, which was the first major change in the packaging of cigarettes in the last couple of decades.

They then introduced strong Marlboro men as part of their marketing campaign, which featured athletes and cowboys. This change in branding led to the lack of cigarettes that target women smokers.

Since the target consumers of these cigarettes have changed, the number of women smokers in history has also changed, gradually declining as years passed. But for the Marlboro brand, the addition of filtered cigarettes to its arsenal secures them a reputation of being one of the most popular cigarette brands in history as they are still enjoyed by both men and women.

Today, Marlboro remains on top of the cigarette market in the US and other parts of the world.

When Were Camel Cigarettes Invented?

The thought of rolling cigarettes on your own can be exhausting, especially if you will do this today. In the past, you have to manually roll the tobacco leaves you have crushed in paper before you can smoke them. Now, all you need to do is pick one from the packaging and light it up.

If there’s one cigarette brand that you may be familiar with today, that would be Camel cigarettes. These cigarettes came from the brilliant mind of Richard Joshua Reynolds, who founded the RJR Company. 

RJR first opened a plant in Winston, with other brands following suit in different parts of the US. At some point, owners of cigarette manufacturing plants agreed to form an American Tobacco Trust. This way, they can specialize in certain tobacco products and prevent competing with each other in particular specialty cigarettes.

The U.S. Supreme Court, however, ruled that this particular setup was illegal.

In the wake of this decision, RJR decided to introduce a product in 1913 that changed tobacco processing and advertising in the tobacco landscape. This product is known as Camel cigarettes. 

The promotion of these new products has been praised by many for being revolutionary and innovative They were first announced in papers through “The Camels are coming!”, which is a play on the old Scottish folk song “The Campbells Are Coming”. Many thought of the slogan as a joke. But one day, circus camels were driven into towns while company representatives distributed free cigarettes to people.

After a year of introducing Camel cigarettes in the public market, RJR Company had sold 425 million packs of cigarettes. 

Camel cigarettes, one of the tobacco products that gained prominence from their initial introduction to the market, have become a household staple worldwide. Initially designed to offer pre-packaged tobacco smoking products, Camel cigarettes have maintained their popularity and are still a formidable competitor to Marlboro cigarettes, which have also been around for decades.

The characteristics of Camel cigarettes are straightforward. They feature Turkish tobacco, which is known for providing great flavours and satisfying hits. They were likewise blended to boast a milder taste than cigarettes from other established brands.

The Camel cigarettes then come in a boxy “cup” packaging that we already know today as a cigarette pack. They were also the first cigarettes that were sold in cartons of 200. They are likewise the first brand to produce cigarettes with “the American blend,” a mixture of flue-cured and burley tobacco leaf that’s known for being sweet and mild enough to be inhaled.

Today, Camel cigarettes still exist, providing smokers with pre-packaged tobacco products of varying types that promise flavourful yet strong hits.

First Cigarette Brands

Tobacco use has been around for a very long time, dating back as early as the Aztecs. 

But when it comes to cigarettes, different brands have emerged and subsequently disappeared as the competition in the tobacco industry becomes tighter. Additionally, many cigarette makers faced difficulties in withstanding anti-smoking campaigns, which have successfully deterred a huge percentage of smokers to quit smoking and find other sources of nicotine.

Vaping products or electronic cigarettes, for instance, have already infiltrated the tobacco industry as manufacturers of these products continuously market them as a less harmful alternative to traditional cigarettes. Even nicotine pouches have entered the competition, providing a different way of consuming nicotine since they don’t release any e-cigarette vapor into the air.

Both e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches are sold at NativeSmokes4Less, which are all priced competitively to cater to those who want an alternative option to cigarettes.

Going back to cigarette brands, there are only a few of them that were established a couple of decades ago and are still around today. Some of these brands are as follows:

1. Muratti: Introduced in 1821, Muratti is the oldest cigarette brand globally that continues to be sold today. This brand was founded in Istanbul, Turkey by Greek tobacco businessman Basil Muratgolu. When the Ottoman Empire took over the control of the tobacco industry, the businessman relocated his cigarette business to Western Europe. Today, there are three distinct variants that Muratti is well-known for: Zaffiro, Chiaro, and Rosso.
2. Philip Morris: Known for their Marlboro cigarettes, Philip Morris is a cigarette brand founded in 1847 that continues to dominate the tobacco industry even after numerous decades. Like other cigarette brands, however, Philip Morris was close to facing bankruptcy as smokers in the 1950s tended not to buy their offerings anymore. It is the introduction of new marketing campaigns for filtered cigarettes that saved them from shutting down permanently.
3. Lucky Strike: Introduced in the tobacco market in 1871, Lucky Strike is an American cigarette that first offered chewing tobacco to nicotine users before they shifted to cigarettes in the 1900s. This particular brand rose to fame around the 1930s and 1940s but declined gradually as more cigarette brands entered the market. Nonetheless, Lucky Strike continues to exist today, giving smokers cigarette offerings that provide a tantalizing smoking experience.
4. Benson & Hedges: Benson & Hedges is another cigarette brand that has been around for centuries. Founded in 1873, the name of this British brand comes from the names of its founders Richard Benson and William Hedges. A little fact about this cigarette brand is that it is the cigarette brand of choice of King George VI, which helped it attain a Royal Warrant in 1878. However, this prestigious recognition was revoked in 1999 as the royal family’s demand for the brand declined.
5. Sobranie: The Balkan Sobranie tobacco business was first started in 1870 by Albert Weinberg. Initially, Sobranie cigarettes were manufactured in accordance with the traditional Russian method. The cultural and historical significance of this brand has led many to perceive Sobranie cigarettes as a luxury item. In fact, they have been adopted by numerous royals, monarchs, and elites worldwide as a cigarette brand of choice.

Some of the first cigarettes that still exist today include Woodbine, Capstan, State Express 555, Chesterfield, and Pall Mall. These old cigarette brands, along with others not mentioned in this blog, demonstrate the enduring popularity of cigarette consumption among adults worldwide.

Despite the well-documented health consequences associated with cigarette smoking, these cigarette brands continue to offer a satisfying cigarette smoke that nicotine users find irresistible.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was the first use of cigarettes?

Cigarettes, as we know them today, were first introduced in the early 16th century. The Spanish pioneered this by wrapping shredded tobacco in paper, creating the precursor to the modern cigarette. However, their roots can be traced even further back to indigenous cultures in the Americas, where Native Americans utilized tobacco leaves for both ceremonial and medicinal purposes.

Were cigarettes a thing in the 1800s?

Yes, cigarettes were indeed a thing in the 1800s. During the early 19th century, cigarettes gradually gained popularity as soldiers and workers began rolling their own using tobacco scraps. By the latter half of the 1800s, these tobacco products experienced further traction in Europe and the United States, primarily due to the introduction of cigarette-rolling machines that made them more accessible.

Were there cigarettes in the 1920s?

Yes, there are already cigarettes in the 1920s. By this time, cigarettes had become a mainstream product due to the advent of mass production and aggressive advertising campaigns by tobacco companies. 

When did the British start smoking cigarettes?

The British started smoking cigarettes in the mid-19th century and gained popularity after the Crimean War. During the war, British soldiers were introduced to cigarette smoking by Turkish and Russian troops. They then brought the practice of cigarette smoking back to the UK. 

What was the most popular cigarette in 1972?

Marlboro, produced by Philip Morris, emerged as the most popular cigarette brand in 1972. Its iconic “Marlboro Man” advertising campaign in the 1950s successfully rebranded Marlboro from a women’s cigarette to one associated with rugged masculinity. By the early 1970s, Marlboro had achieved the distinction of being the best-selling cigarette in the United States.

When was the first modern cigarette made?

The first modern cigarette that resembles what we know today was developed in the mid-19th century. The turning point for cigarette production came with the introduction of cigarette-making machines as they allowed modern cigarettes to be mass-produced quickly and cheaply. 

When did filtered cigarettes become common?

Filtered cigarettes became common in the 1950s. As health concerns about smoking began to rise, cigarette companies started formulating these cigarettes and promoted them as a “safer” alternative to unfiltered cigarettes. Many smokers then switched to these cigarettes and ditched the unfiltered ones.

Why did everyone smoke cigarettes in the 1950s?

Despite the health risks that started to emerge in the 1950s, many individuals smoked cigarettes during this time due to various social, cultural, and marketing influences brought by the aggressive campaigns of cigarette brands. The brands marketed smoking cigarettes as a symbol of sophistication and rebellion, enticing customers to buy and light them up whenever possible.

When did they start making rolled cigarettes?

The production of rolled cigarettes commenced in the early 19th century and became more standardized in the mid-1800s. Initially, cigarettes were hand-rolled using loose tobacco and thin paper. However, the invention of the cigarette-rolling machine revolutionized production efficiency, leading to a significant shift from hand-rolled to machine-rolled cigarettes.

Summary

Cigarettes were first invented in the early 16th century as makeshift cigars made from discarded cigar butts. As soon as cigarette-making machines were introduced, many tobacco companies also started to enter the cigarette scene, ensuring they could reach as many customers as possible.

The formulation and composition of cigarettes underwent significant changes to meet the ever-shifting preferences of smokers worldwide. Cigarette brands further amplified their campaigns, promoting far-reaching health benefits that were subsequently discredited by a mounting body of medical studies.

Despite the declining smoking rates globally, cigarettes remain the primary tobacco product sought by nicotine users. Now that you’ve delved into the evolution of cigarettes, it’s time for you to explore the history of warning labels on cigarettes.