Which Mughal emperor issued an order banning the smoking of tobacco in 1617?

The Mughal emperor Jahangir issued an order banning the smoking of tobacco in 1617.

How tobacco came to India:

• Tobacco was brought to the Americas' neighbours in Europe after the voyages of Columbus, and the Portuguese brought it to India in the late 16th century.
• It reached the Deccan first, and was introduced to the Mughal court towards the end of Akbar's reign, around 1604-05.

NCERT on tobacco:

• NCERT notes that tobacco, which was first introduced into the Deccan, spread to north India in the early 17th century.
• Akbar and his nobles came across tobacco for the first time in 1604.
• At about this time, smoking tobacco (in the huqqa or the chilam) seems to have become a serious addiction.
• Jahangir was so concerned that he imposed a ban.
• NCERT notes that the ban was completely ineffective, because by the end of the 17th century tobacco had become one of the main articles of consumption, cultivation and trade all over India.

Jahangir's reasons:

• In his memoirs, Jahangir wrote that smoking had harmful effects on the health and character of many people.
• The Shah of Persia (Shah Abbas) had also banned tobacco in his country, which may have influenced Jahangir.

Other crops from the Americas:

Maize, chillies, potatoes, tomatoes, pineapples and papayas also reached India in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Jahangir and other bans:

Jahangir's memoirs also mention orders against the sale of wine and certain drugs, although he himself was fond of wine and opium.

He issued twelve ordinances (dastur-ul-amal) at the beginning of his reign, dealing with matters such as the prohibition of certain taxes, the building of sarais and wells, and the ban on cutting off the noses or ears of criminals.

Later rulers:

Aurangzeb also tried to restrict the use of intoxicants.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Akbar was introduced to tobacco but did not ban it.
• ✗Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb did not issue this ban of 1617.