History of Cigars

    While cigar smoking has been around for decades, no one knows for sure when individuals began smoking cigars. However, historians can trace cigar smoking back to the 10th century in Guatemala. Although cigar smoking remained common throughout South America, it was not until the late 1400’s to early 1500’s that cigar smoking spread to Europe. In 1492, Christopher Columbus observed Native Americans rolling tobacco leaves and smoking them. After leaving North America, members of Columbus’s crew observed individuals in Cuba burning and smoking tobacco to help prevent disease and ward off fatigue. Upon returning to Europe, Columbus popularized. Even though Columbus found smoking tobacco enjoyable, he was known to engage in this practice for its health benefits.
    Although Columbus is credited for helping cigars spread throughout Europe, the medicinal properties of smoking tobacco were evident in other regions of the world. During the 1500’s explorer Pedro Alaverz Cabral observed individuals in Brazil using tobacco, or the “holy herb” to fight a wide-range of ailments.
    Smoking cigars remained a common method used to fight illnesses throughout the 1800’s. However, after isolating the nicotine present in tobacco plants, many became skeptical about the medicinal properties of tobacco. While tobacco is still used for enjoyment purposes around the world, few consider the medicinal origins of cigar smoking documented throughout history. Have you ever considered your cigar a form of medicine? Does it help alleviate your stressors and strains? Let us know in a comment below. 
 *Frontline Cigars acknowledges the health detriments and risks associated with smoking cigars and tobacco products. The purpose of this post is to inform your of the history of cigars and by no means is advocating for using cigars for medicinal benefits. 
For more information about the history of cigar use, check out the National Cigar Museum