The modern cigarette, as it is known today, was invented by James Albert Bonsack in 1880. He developed and patented the "Bonsack cigarette rolling machine," which automated the production of cigarettes and made them more affordable and accessible by enabling mass production. Before this invention, cigarettes were primarily hand-rolled, limiting production and increasing cost. While tobacco smoking has been practiced for thousands of years, and earlier forms of rolled tobacco existed, Bonsack's machine was a key innovation that shaped the cigarette industry.
Early forms of cigarettes were reportedly used during the Crimean War in the mid-19th century, when soldiers rolled tobacco in paper, but it was the mechanization by Bonsack that made cigarette smoking widespread and commercially successful.
In summary, James Albert Bonsack is credited with inventing the modern cigarette by inventing the rolling machine that facilitated its mass production in the late 19th century.
