Tobacco

N. acuminata

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N. alata

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N. attenuata

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N. clevelandii

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N. excelsior

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N. forgetiana

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N. glauca

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N. glutinosa

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N. langsdorffii

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N. longiflora

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N. obtusifolia

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N. paniculata

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N. plumbagifolia

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N. quadrivalvis

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N. repanda

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N. rustica

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N. suaveolens

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N. sylvestris

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N. tabacum

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N. tomentosa

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Ref: ITIS 30562

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as of August 26, 2005

Related Topics:
August 26 - 2005

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Tobacco (Nicotiana spp., L.) refers to a genus of broad-leafed plants of the nightshade family indigenous to North and South America or to the dried and cured leaves. Such leaves are often smoked (see tobacco smoking) in the form of a cigar or cigarette, or in a smoking pipe, or in a water pipe or a hookah. Tobacco is also chewed, "dipped" (placed between the cheek and gum), and consumed as finely powdered snuff tobacco, which is sniffed into the nose. The word "tobacco" is an Anglicization of the Spanish word "tabaco", possibly derived from the native Cuban "tabacos" for cigar or from the Native American "tabago," a Y-shaped pipe used to sniff tobacco smoke through the nostrils.

Related Topics:
Nightshade - North - South America - Tobacco smoking - Cigar - Cigarette - Smoking pipe - Water pipe - Hookah - Spanish - Native American

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Tobacco contains the alkaloid nicotine, a powerful neurotoxin that is particularly harmful to insects. All means of consuming tobacco result in the absorption of nicotine in varying amounts into the user's bloodstream, and over time the development of tolerance and dependence. Absorption quantity, frequency and speed seem to have a direct relationship with how strong a dependence and tolerance, if any, might be created. A lethal dose of nicotine is contained in as little as one half of a cigar or three cigarettes; however, only a fraction of the nicotine contained in these products is actually released into the smoke, and most clinically significant cases of nicotine poisoning are the result of concentrated forms of the compound used as insecticides. Other active alkaloids in tobacco include harmala.

Related Topics:
Alkaloid - Nicotine - Neurotoxin - Insects - Absorption - Bloodstream - Tolerance - Dependence - Lethal dose - Nicotine poisoning - Insecticide - Harmala

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Major hazards of tobacco use, however, involve carcinogenic compounds in tobacco and tobacco smoke. Many jurisdictions have enacted smoking bans in an effort to minimize possible damage to public health caused by tobacco smoking.

Related Topics:
Carcinogen - Smoking ban - Public health - Tobacco smoking

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