A finely-ground smokeless tobacco inhaled through the nostrils, ‘taking snuff’ originated in the Americas and was introduced into Spain following Columbus’s second voyage to the New World in the 1490s.

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The supposed medicinal properties of tobacco saw it spread around Europe, rising in fortune in the 1560s when the French Queen Catherine de’ Medici declared it a wonder for headaches (it had been recommended by John Nicot, who later gave his name to nicotine).

The fashion spread throughout Europe, and by the 1700s snuff was considered a luxury product and mark of refinement. Though the stereotypical image of the snufftaker is the Georgian dandy, it was also popular among women – Queen Charlotte, George III’s queen was so fond of it that she earned the nickname ‘Snuffy Charlotte’. As with most fashions it fell from favour, as new stimulants appeared.

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This article was taken from BBC History Revealed magazine

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