Day CCXII

Nicotiana Tabacum

    Ever wonder about the word nicotine, well it’s because of a Frenchman named Jean Nicot Villemaine, who believed the weed had medicinal powers. He sent some to queen Catherine of Medici, whose son suffered migraines. It seems to have made him feel better, because they honored Nicot by naming the weed,

     “Nicotiana Tabacum,” in his honor.

      For a time tobacco was used in powdered form as medicine in France, but in time they started enjoying it in a pipe. There are all kinds of interesting things about the evil weed. In the early 18^th century growing it in France was prohibited, and you could even lose your head for it-
literally via le guillotine. Only the state, i.e...the King could grow it.

    Tobacco extract is poison, indeed proven in 1851 by Jean Stas, a Belgium chemist. A Belgian count poisoned his brother-in-law with leaf extract for money, and it was proven by the chemist. It was the first proof of alkaloids in forensic medicine. The Pharmaceutical industry has found all kinds of thing to do with it, even a protein that can be added to cereals, or used in mayonnaise or whipped cream. The thing is…that it too has the evil poison- nicotine.

    I don’t understand why, given all we know about this poison, the U.S. continues to coddle this evil industry. The weed is more poisonous than cannabis, yet it’s still legal, as its lawyers continue dickering with the government. It’s more like they’re dicking the government. Us! It’s bargaining with the devil- you can’t win. So it is up to us to stop, because nobody else will help…It’s an individual act. Only you can stop, nobody but nobody can stop for you.