Don't let anyone tell you that nicotine is a poison...

[DC2]

And if they do, be prepared to educate them.

First of all, what is a poison?
Well, I guess the bottom line is that a poison is something that will kill you.

So what will kill you?
Everything.

Did I say everything?
Yes I did.

Strange but True: Drinking Too Much Water Can Kill: Scientific American

That is why there is a famous saying...
The dose makes the poison

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_dose_makes_the_poison

So really, when you're talking about a "poison" you are really saying that too much of "this thing" will kill you.
And when you say "too much" you are really saying one thing is more efficient at killing you than another thing.

So do you think nicotine is an efficient killer?
Well, it's not.

During the past 27 years, the only child death related to tobacco involved a child that had both cigarettes and Valium in his system. Perhaps the Valium suppressed the body's natural defense mechanism against nicotine poisoning. Or perhaps the Valium itself killed the child.

The majority of cases require no medical treatment whatsoever. For example in 2009, out of 8,774 tobacco exposures, 1602 cases were treated in a medical facility, and only 4 cases were considered "Major". Of 1,307 pharmaceutical nicotine exposures, 315 were treated in a medical facility, and 2 cases were considered Major. There were no Deaths in either category.

 

[generic mutant]

That's sort of true. Sort of also just propaganda.

Nicotine evolved to prevent animals eating plants. It's a poison in a much more real sense than water, not really any getting away from it.

If you'd said "Deadly poison" I'd have agreed with you...

 

[DC2]

That's sort of true. Sort of also just propaganda.

Nicotine evolved to prevent animals eating plants. It's a poison in a much more real sense than water, not really any getting away from it.

If you'd said "Deadly poison" I'd have agreed with you...

Okay, call it counter-propaganda if you wish.
Because calling nicotine a poison is usually propaganda in the context it is used.

Just make sure you educate those that say this to you.
We wouldn't want anyone thinking what exhale may harm them because of nicotine.

 

[DC2]

Nicotine evolved to prevent animals eating plants.

By the way, I might want to add that this is also true for caffeine...
CAFFEINE IS NATURAL INSECTICIDE, SCIENTIST SAYS

 

[bluecat]

Nicotine has been used as a pesticide. Water has never been used as a poison. Now whether you want to argue that a pesticide is not a poison or what. Nicotine is toxic at certain level when introduced to a living organism. What % and such...well that can be said for anything. Next time you take a bath in pure liquid nicotine and take a bath in water, let me know the results.

Tobacco and its evil cousin nicotine are good as a pesticide

 

[generic mutant]

By the way, I might want to add, same with caffeine...
CAFFEINE IS NATURAL INSECTICIDE, SCIENTIST SAYS

An insecticide and an antiherbivore aren't quite the same thing (from our rather biased point of view ). A cursory Google suggests caffeine is the former, nicotine at least partly the latter. But yes, you are right; caffeine is indeed poisonous.

 

[BillyWJ]

By the way, I might want to add, same with caffeine...
CAFFEINE IS NATURAL INSECTICIDE, SCIENTIST SAYS

Plants conduct chemical warfare every day, and some of the results of that are beneficial and tasty to humans - or can kill us in large doses.

Nicotine IS a poison. Pure nicotine will kill you. However, the correct thing to say is that we're dealing with such minute, diluted amounts, it's not a risk.

You can also correctly point out alcohol is technically a poison, as well, in it's pure form, as is oxygen, salt and water, in high doses.

 

[DC2]

Next time you take a bath in pure liquid nicotine and take a bath in water, let me know the results.

I believe that taking a bath in pure nicotine liquid would be very expensive.
But if I ever do it, I doubt I'd be around to tell you the results.

 

[DC2]

An insecticide and an antiherbivore aren't quite the same thing (from our rather biased point of view ) A cursory Google suggests caffeine is the former, nicotine at least partly the latter. But yes, you are right; caffeine is indeed poisonous.

I sort of figure that caffeine would act as an anti-herbivore agent in the right doses.
But they probably haven't studied that quite as much given that caffeine is acceptable and nicotine is evil.

 

[Jarbs]

nicotine is a poison though. it will kill you if you drink it.

 

[Rosenec]

That's sort of true. Sort of also just propaganda.

Nicotine evolved to prevent animals eating plants. It's a poison in a much more real sense than water, not really any getting away from it.

If you'd said "Deadly poison" I'd have agreed with you...

Not totally sure that's true. I believe plants have nicotine in them to help spread there seeds.
Tomatoes are delicious and give what ever eats them a small buzz wanting to eat more. After they are consumed the animal wonders off and eventually goes to the bathroom. Depositing the consumed seeds in a nice little fertilizer pile. More tomato plants grow, and the cycle continues.
This is a basic explanation but holds true for fruits and vegetables.

 

[Orb Skewer]

That's sort of true. Sort of also just propaganda.

Nicotine evolved to prevent animals Insects eating plants. It's a poison in a much more real sense than water, not really any getting away from it.

If you'd said "Deadly poison" I'd have agreed with you...

Ficksed...............

 

[bluecat]

Aye mate. I would not recommend it.

It would make the Kentucky tobacco farmers happy selling all those tobacco plants. Some fond memories of my youth is going along with the tobacco farmers as they did their thing with the tobacco plants on our property. Too bad the government wants to put them out of business and pay them not to grow tobacco. Dang gone pretty plant.

 

[generic mutant]

Ficksed...............

Source?

.....

 

[generic mutant]

I sort of figure that caffeine would act as an anti-herbivore agent in the right doses.
But they probably haven't studied that quite as much given that caffeine is acceptable and nicotine is evil.

Nicotine is expressed largely in the leaves, which you don't want eaten, if you're a plant.

Caffeine is expressed in the berries as well, which you do...

 

[DC2]

nicotine is a poison though. it will kill you if you drink it.

I don't know if I would agree that is fact.
I think you would puke it up.

I know when I swallowed some chewing tobacco I puked.
I puked a lot.

But it's really hard to say, isn't it?
I mean, we haven't had any chance to find out.

And maybe that is the point I'm trying to make here.

 

[Rosenec]

nicotine is a poison though. it will kill you if you drink it.

Any substance consumed in excess can / will kill you. But I'm not sure there have been any real scientific studies showing nicotine is deadly Or harmful in any meaningful way.

 

[generic mutant]

... Or harmful in any meaningful way.

Presumably you mean at clinically relevant doses. Because even then it's dubious. And otherwise it's nuts.

 

[Jarbs]

Any substance consumed in excess can / will kill you. But I'm not sure there have been any real scientific studies showing nicotine is deadly Or harmful in any meaningful way.

http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9926222
I think an msds constitutes that sufficient studies were done to determine if something is poisonous or not.

CDC - The Emergency Response Safety and Health Database: Systemic Agent: NICOTINE - NIOSH
and that's what the cdc's findings are.

 

[bluecat]

I don't know if I would agree that is fact.
I think you would puke it up.

I know when I swallowed some chewing tobacco I puked.
I puked a lot.

But it's really hard to say, isn't it?
I mean, we haven't had any chance to find out.

And maybe that is the point I'm trying to make here.

I puked bad when I swallowed reprocessed tobacco spit. Man never have friends that dip or chew then decide to use the left over beer bottle as a spittoon. When there are 20 beer bottles on your table make sure you pick the right one.

Did it many times...well all of my friends have... we all lived through it. He would buy you beer for the night too.