10 Historical Facts You Should Know (But Probably Don’t)

3. The Smoking Ban In England Was Considered From 1604 To 2007

Maybe not continuously but the ban on smoking in England was not a new concept when New Labour introduced it in 2007. Now it seems completely alien to think of people smoking indoors, in pubs and restaurants even on trains! It wasn’t even all that long ago that you didn’t have to stand outside in the rain for a fag, you could remain at the table in the warmth (pint in hand) and light up which now would see you kicked out, banned and maybe even fined. It’s amazing how fast things can change and yet it took an awfully long time to even get to the point of banning smoking.

As far back as James I (of England) VI (of Scotland), there were people who were vehemently opposed to the habit of smoking, very much including the king himself. James even wrong a whole pamphlet, A Counterbaste to Tobacco, denouncing smoking, tobacco and Native Americans, they weren’t a random inclusion in the sense that he just saw his opportunity to ‘diss’ them, he blamed them for cursing Europe with the evils of tobacco. Perhaps being right with 2/3 things wasn’t too bad given the time.

In the pamphlet, James even complained about passive smoking as well as the health issues it caused to those smoking and those around them. He went into the negative impacts on the lungs and even the smell which he claimed was “hateful to the nose”. It turns out that the excuse that the knowledge of the dangers of smoking being unknown in recent history doesn’t fly anymore.