Facts About Tobacco

Tobacco has beneficial uses that date back many, many years. Whatever its use, the primary component is, of course, nicotine. As with any beneficial plant, the method of delivery and the use or misuse can lead to problems.

Tobacco actually makes a very good natural insect repellent in the home and garden. Soaking a very small amount in a quart of water overnight releases nicotine in the water, which can then be sprayed on garden plants to kill a variety of pests.

Tobacco can also be mixed with compost and spread under roses to get rid of aphids and other pests.

Have you ever had difficulty getting rid of moles and gophers? Those little varmints can totally destroy your lawn! The good news is - they hate tobacco. Shred a pack of unfiltered cigarettes and drop it down their holes, and see if that doesn't get rid of them.

I swear spiders would take over the world if they had opposable thumbs. Keeping in mind that they can be beneficial, I don't really want them all over my house, and I get tired of clearing cobwebs from around the lights on my porches. There is an organic home remedy, however, that doesn't involve poisoning yourself and the environment while trying to keep the spider population down to a manageable level. Boil a gallon of water with a package of chewing tobacco. Allow it to cool, strain out the tobacco leaves, then use the liquid in a sprayer around your yard, foundation line and any cracks.

Since these remedies do contain a high concentration of nicotine, I would suggest using latex or rubber gloves when working with the compounds.

Native Americans used tobacco in a poultice to treat skin rashes, insect and animal bites and bee and wasp stings. A solution of tobacco soaked in water (and of course, strained before using) can be used to rinse hair to rid if to lice and other insects. In colonial times, tobacco was used as part of a remedy for whooping cough; in the presence of medical treatment for whooping cough, this is not recommended.

The bottom line of all this is - you can see how noxious and harmful tobacco is to the pests around your house and garden.  It is not really beneficial when taken internally by humans; its most beneficial use for humans is with external applications.

Cancer and Tobacco

The association of tobacco and cancer is as a result of two misuses of the plant; that is, smoking and extended exposure. Nicotine by itself does not cause cancer; it is the addictive substance in tobacco, but there are other substances in tobacco that cause the harm. If you burn anything and inhale smoke, you're going to cause damage to your body. The danger in tobacco is the addictive quality of nicotine, coupled with the harmful substances and the delivery method via smoking.

Extended exposure is what causes damage to people who utilize smokeless tobacco, such as snuff. It is less lethal than smoking tobacco - but that's not the same as saying it's safe. The amount of nicotine absorbed is usually more than the amount delivered by smoking cigarettes. The primary cancer-causing substance in smokeless tobacco is tobacco-specific nitrosamines. This substance is known to cause cancer in laboratory animals, whether injected or inhaled. In addition, tobacco itself and the juice from tobacco, is absorbed through the lining of the mouth, causing sores and white patches known as leukoplakia, which often lead to cancer of the mouth. People who utilize forms of smokeless tobacco are at greater risk for cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, stomach and pancreas.

There is no "safe" way to smoke, ingest or chew tobacco. There is no "safe" way to smoke any substance, including "herbal" cigarettes. Smokers are five times more likely to experience life-threatening health problems as a direct result of their use of tobacco. Making the choice to quit cigarettes and other forms of tobacco is a life-saving choice.

Nicotine

Nicotine is the main addictive ingredient in tobacco. It is readily absorbed into the blood and gives a hit (a rush) to the brain in about 10 seconds. Nicotine produces chemicals in the brain called dopamine. It is the regular hits of nicotine that the brain comes to expect and when people quit it causes withdrawal symptoms. Nicotine is a stimulant that increases the heart rate and blood pressure - this is partly a sign that the body is trying to absorb more oxygen.

Acetone

That’s the stuff used as a solvent to remove nail varnish.

Ammonia

Ammonia speeds up the delivery of the nicotine.It freebases the nicotine in the same way as a crack user takes cocaine.

Tar is deposited into the lungs every time a person inhales. Smoking 20 or more cigarettes a day deposits 1 to 1.5 pounds of tar into the lungs every year.

Benzene

Used as a solvent in fuel & dyes. Known to cause cancer.

Cadmium

Used to make batteries, cadmium is known to cause kidney damage. It increases the risk of developing lung cancer.

Carbon monoxide

This is the same chemical pushed out by cars. It prevents the blood carrying oxygen around the body. A heavy smoker’s ability to carry oxygen around the body is reduced by up to 15%.

Hydrogen Cyanide

Yet another gas that reduces the body’s ability to carry oxygen around the body.

Pyridine

Pyridine is a central nervous system depressant that boosts the effect of smoking.

Other additives

There are numerous other additives to cigarettes, depending on what type of cigarettes and the manufacturer/brand.

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