A Counter-Blaste to Tobacco

Anti-smoking campaigns are not new to the 20th century. King James was preaching against tobacco in the 17th century. James was King of Great Britain. He was James IV of Scotland, James1 of England and king of Ireland. James was born in 1566 and was credited with being a wise scholar. His epithet read "the wisest fool in Christendom." A Counter-Blaste to Tobacco was written in 1604. James spoke out against tobacco especially smoking. In A Counter-Blaste to Tobacco, James blames the "Indians" for bringing tobacco to Europe, he complains about passive smoking, warns his readers about possible lung damage, and finds the odor offensive. James wrote "Have you not reason then to bee ashamed, and to forbeare this filthie noveltie, so basely grounded, so foolishly received and so grossely mistaken in the right use thereof? In your abuse thereof sinning against God, harming your selves both in persons and goods, and raking also thereby the markes and notes of vanitie upon you: by the custome thereof making your selves to be wondered at by all forraine civil Nations, and by all strangers that come among you, to be scorned and contemned. A custome lothsome to the eye, hatefull to the Nose, harmefull to the braine, dangerous to the Lungs, and in the blacke stinking fume thereof, neerest resembling the horrible Stigian smoke of the pit that is bottomelesse."