Tobacco Habit.

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17974, 20 March 1930, Page 14

Tobacco Habit.

THE FIRST SMOKER.

The first person to smoke tobacco in Europe is to bo honoured by a commemorative tablet erected in his home town of Ayamonte, in Spain, by the Spanish Tobacco Monopoly. The entire tobacco industry of Europe will be invited by the Ayamonte city fathers to participate in the dedication, some time this year. Writes Dr E. E. Free in his “Week’s Science” (New York) : “Historical research has shown, the Ayamontanians assert, that one Rodrigo de Jerez, a citizen of that municipality, was among the companions of Columbus on his voyage of discovery. While in America de Jerez learned from the Indians, the story continues, the habit of smoking tobacco. Returning from his New World adventure, the travelled Ayamontanian brought with him a bale of Indian leaves, properly dried and cured for smoking. First of all residents of Europe, it is asserted, he was to be seen with smoke coming from his mouth and nose. Astonished witnesses added eyes and ears for good measure, and reported to the Spanish Inquisition that a man at Ayamonte was possessed of a smoking devil. No loss an authority than Padre Tomaso de Torquomada, famous Inquisition chief, investigated, but evidently accepted de Jo rez’s smoke-emitting feits as natural instead of diabolic, for Europe’s first person to endonso a brand of tobacco does not seem to have been quartered or burnt. It is to Rodrigo de Jerez of Ayamonte, his present townsmen assert that the whole tobacco industry’ of Europe must be traced.’’’