Tobacco is the agricultural product of the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. All species of Nicotiana contain the recreational drug nicotine—a stimulant and sedative contained in all parts of the plants except the seeds—which occurs in varying amounts depending on the species and variety cultivated. It is thought that an interaction between nicotine and MAOI beta-carbolines found in tobacco account for the addictive properties of its use.
Tobacco is primarily derived from the species Nicotiana tabacum, although it is also produced from Nicotiana alata, and to a lesser extent Nicotiana clevelandii, Nicotiana longiflora, Nicotiana rustica, and others.
Once tobacco has been grown, harvested, cured, and processed, it is used to produce a number of different products. These are most often consumable; however, tobacco and the nicotine derived from it are also used to create pesticides.
Tobacco products can generally be divided into two types: smoked tobacco and smokeless tobacco.
An expert in tobacco and tobacco products—especially pipes, pipe tobacco and cigars—including their procurement and sale, is called a tobacconist.
Famous quotes containing the words tobacco and/or products:
“There’s nothing quite like tobacco: it’s the passion of decent folk, and whoever lives without tobacco doesn’t deserve to live.”
—Molière [Jean Baptiste Poquelin] (1622–1673)
“The reality is that zero defects in products plus zero pollution plus zero risk on the job is equivalent to maximum growth of government plus zero economic growth plus runaway inflation.”
—Dixie Lee Ray (b. 1924)