Tobacco

Keyes smoking with his pipe.

Tobacco is an Human agricultural product processed from the fresh leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. Its most common usage is for smoking (tobacco smoking) in the form of a cigarette or cigar. Even in the 26th Century, tobacco is still an important commercial commodity, used in cigars, cigarettes, and the fillings of pipes. Tobacco is commercially available almost everywhere in dried, cured, and natural forms. Some humans are also known to enjoy tobacco gum, a chewing substance used as an alternative to smoked tobacco.^[1]

Although not native to Earth, Hookah tobacco is used by San 'Shyuum as a stimulant.^[2]

Cigars

Avery Junior Johnson with a cigar in his mouth.

A cigar is a tightly rolled bundle of dried and fermented tobacco which is ignited so that its smoke may be drawn into the smoker's mouth. The English cigar comes from the Spanish cigarro, which in turn derives from the Mayan word for tobacco, siyar. Cigar tobacco was once grown in significant quantities in Brazil, Cameroon, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Indonesia, Mexico, Nicaragua, the Philippines, and the United States. Cigars from Cuba were particularly famous.

In the 26th century, the Sweet William cigar is a luxury brand popular among humans. They are especially enjoyed by numerous members of the UNSC Defense Force.

Cigarettes

An unbranded cigarette box lying on the ground during the Battle of Voi.

Cigarettes are another tobacco product. Like cigars, humans have smoked cigarettes for centuries.

26th century cigarettes are protected from moisture damage by waterproof seals. Some cigarettes have "ignition ends" which light the cigarette by tapping its end, thus elminating the need for external flammable implements; these cigarettes are popular among the Orbital Drop Shock Troopers.^[3] Cigarettes requiring traditional means of ignition are also available.^[4] The UNSC Defense Force issues cigarette consumption ordinances.^[4]

Tobacco gum

Tobacco gum is a type of a chewing substance that is commonly used as an alternative to cigarettes. It is considered contraband within the UNSC Defense Force. Nonetheless, tobacco gum is popular among UNSC aviators. The substance may be similar in concept to chewing tobacco.^[5]

Known users

Captain Jacob Keyes was an avid pipe smoker, always keeping a pipe on him often ignoring the fact that it was against regulations.
Sergeant Avery Johnson smoked Sweet William cigars.
Captain Ponder smoked Sweet William cigars.
CPO Franklin Mendez smoked Sweet William cigars.
Colonel Robert Watts enjoyed smoking Sweet William cigars, which lead to his demise when John-117 and his handpicked team of Spartan-IIs used the cigars to find him.
General Black smoked cigars.
Corporal Harland smoked cigarettes.
Mike Spenser is an avid cigarette smoker. The fingertips of his right-hand were stained with nicotine.
Ngoc Benti smoked cigarettes.
Private Walker smoked cigarettes.
Sergeant Laura "Smokes" Tanner is a fond chewer of tobacco gum.

List of appearances

Halo: The Fall of Reach (First appearance)
Halo: Combat Evolved
Halo: The Flood
Halo: First Strike
Halo 2
Halo 3
Halo: Contact Harvest
Halo: The Cole Protocol
Halo: Ghosts of Onyx
Halo 3: ODST
Halo: Evolutions
Halo Legends
- Origins
Halo: Fall of Reach
- Boot Camp
Halo: Glasslands
Halo: The Thursday War
Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn
Halo: Mortal Dictata

Sources

^ Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, page 204
^ Halo: Contact Harvest, page 143
^ Halo: The Fall of Reach, page 168
^ ^a ^b Halo: First Strike, page 115: They flared like the "strike-anywhere" matches the ODSTs used to light their contraband cigarettes.
^ Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, page 204

[1] Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, page 204

[2] Halo: Contact Harvest, page 143

[3] Halo: The Fall of Reach, page 168

[HaloFS_115-4] Halo: First Strike, page 115: They flared like the "strike-anywhere" matches the ODSTs used to light their contraband cigarettes.

[5] Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, page 204

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