[CH] tobacco

Andie Paysinger (asenji@earthlink.net)
Tue, 07 Jul 1998 22:22:50 +0000

At one time gardeners could buy a liquid nicotine which was extracted
from tobacco.
It was taken off the marked many years ago because it is very dangerous.

Nicotine is readily absorbed through the skin and it can kill, people,
pets, as well as bugs.
and it kills all bugs, not just the bad ones.   It can kill earthworms
which are not bothered by a lot of other chemicals.
I will not use it in my garden, I certainly would not use it on any food
crop.

Think of it this way, the amount of nicotine trapped in a single average
filter discarded from a cigarette butt can kill a medium sized dog.  I
personally have seen this happen - it was a stupid prank perpetrated by
an idiot smarta## kid who thought it would be "fun" to see what would
happen when he fed a meatball with a used cigarette filter in it to his
sister's springer spaniel.   I saw the girl trying to hold her dog still
- it was convulsing - and it threw up  and the cigarette filter was in
the stomach contents.  It died a few minutes later, in agony.     There
are reports in medical literature of "nicotine intoxication" from
gardeners spraying nicotine and getting it on their exposed skin.

If you do use it, be very, very careful.
--
Andie Paysinger & the PENDRAGON Basenjis,Teafer,Cheesy,Singer & Player
asenji@earthlink.net    So. Calif. USA   "In the face of adversity, be
patient, in the face of a basenji, be prudent, be canny, be on your
guard!"
http://home.earthlink.net/~asenji/