Ever thought how things started? Like smoking for example, why would any idiot want to suck in the smoke from burning leaves? Well, the first time anyway.
Think of a group of nomadic aborigines wandering over the land. They need to light fires everyday, for cooking, warmth - just to sit around and tell tales or sing maybe. So, collect some dry vegetable stuff, leaves and twigs.
Strike the flint, rub the twigs, or whatever, to get a spark. Now, take a deep breath and blow on the spark, a nice glow starts, with some smoke. Take another deep breath, some of the smoke goes in as well. Repeat until feeling dizzy - if it was the right kind of vegetable you might just get a little hysterical as well.
Well, it was, of course, the ladies that usually did such tasks, but the men, especially the shaman, noticed what happened to the firelighters. After trying it themselves it was probably declared a holy plant, only for the use of the shamans and chiefs.
Of course, in those lands, though they had trading and bargaining, they had no real entrepreneurial motivation. When the "civilized" explorers discovered these plants, and their addictive nature, it all became very commercial. And we have been ripped off by the manufacturers and governments ever since.
If only for that reason give up, my reason to do so was a near fatal heart attack - don't be a mug all of your life - it may be shorter than you think!
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