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Tobacco kills and this is primarily due to a harmful chemical that it contains. The chemical is Nicotine and this is responsible to many diseases like lung cancer. Young children nowadays should be made aware of the dangers of smoking.
Tobacco is an herb that belongs to the potato or Solanaceae family. It is not dangerous to touch, like poison ivy, but smoking the leaves may affect the proper functioning of the body. An alkaloid present in tobacco is responsible for its narcotic property. It is used in some insecticides to kill pests. In 1964, the Advisory Committee to the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service in Washington did research on the effect of smoking on health, and found evidence that smoking is a hazard. Current legislation requires manufacturers to print a health warning on each package and in all advertising and has banned cigarette advertisements on television. Despite warnings, people continue to smoke. The world production of tobacco totals over 12 billion pounds or 5 ½ billion kilograms. Tobacco, originally an American tropical plant, has been adapted for cultivation in subtropical and temperate climates. It is an unbranched annual, with large oval leaves. The tiny tobacco seeds are planted in seed beds, and the seedlings are transplanted when they are 4 to 6 inches (10.2 to 15.2 centimeters) tall. The best soil is a light, sandy loam, rich in humus and well fertilized. Tobacco requires careful cultivation. When it is fully ripe, as indicated by a change in the color of the leaves, either the plant, or its leaves alone, are cut. The freshly harvested leaves are allowed to wilt and then are hung upside down in “curing” barns. Freshly cured leaves must be sorted and aged before using. The danger in Tobacco comes from the harmful chemical Nicotine. It is a naturally-occurring chemical in tobacco plants. It is poisonous and small amounts eaten or injected can cause severe nausea or death. Pure nicotine is a clear liquid, but it becomes dark brown when exposed to air. Its formula is C10 H14 N12. It has a burning, bitter taste This is the alkaloid that makes tobacco harmful to human health. Nicotine is used in insecticides and for studies of nerve and heart reactions. It is a hazard to smokers. Young children who see older children in the family or at home smoking cigarettes are going to equate smoking with being grown up even if their parents don’t smoke. A ten-year-old who sneaks off to experiment with a cigarette shouldn’t be treated like a criminal, but he should be told that he is harming himself. Parents who smoke and wish they didn’t should concentrate on their own efforts to stop and hope that their offspring get the message. In any event, it might help to emphasize how hard it is to stop smoking once one has acquired the habit.
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