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69-771: [REDACTED] Look up tabac in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Tabac may refer to: the French word for Tobacco Tabac (perfume) , a cologne that was created by Mäurer & Wirtz in 1959 Tabac (store) , a store licensed to sell tobacco products in France the Tabac corner at the Circuit de Monaco , the venue for the Monaco Grand Prix People with

138-419: A curved wooden tool or deer antler. After making two holes to the right and left, the planter would move forward two feet, select plants from his/her bag, and repeat. Various mechanical tobacco planters like Bemis, New Idea Setter, and New Holland Transplanter were invented in the late 19th and 20th centuries to automate the process: making the hole, watering it, guiding the plant in—all in one motion. Tobacco

207-498: A glut in the tobacco market. This surplus has resulted in lower prices, which are devastating to small-scale tobacco farmers. According to the World Bank, between 1985 and 2000, the inflation-adjusted price of tobacco dropped 37%. Tobacco is the most widely smuggled legal product. Tobacco production requires the use of large amounts of pesticides . Tobacco companies recommend up to 16 separate applications of pesticides just in

276-420: A holy plant. Siberian shamans also used herbs for spiritual purposes. Plants may be used to induce spiritual experiences for rites of passage, such as vision quests in some Native American cultures. The Cherokee use both white sage and cedar for spiritual cleansing and smudging . Originally there was always doubt in ancient societies, especially in the sceptical medium of western traditions, as to

345-564: A major industry in Europe and its colonies by 1700. Tobacco has been a major cash crop in Cuba and in other parts of the Caribbean since the 18th century. Cuban cigars are world-famous. In the late 19th century, cigarettes became popular. James Bonsack invented a machine to automate cigarette production. This increase in production allowed tremendous growth in the tobacco industry until

414-629: A medicine and advocate for its respectful usage, rather than a commercial one. Following the arrival of the Europeans to the Americas, tobacco became increasingly popular as a trade item. Francisco Hernández de Toledo , Spanish chronicler of the Indies, was the first European to bring tobacco seeds to the Old World in 1559 following orders of King Philip II of Spain . These seeds were planted in

483-547: A number of such animals have evolved the ability to feed on Nicotiana species without being harmed. Nonetheless, tobacco is unpalatable to many species due to its other attributes. For example, although the cabbage looper is a generalist pest, tobacco's gummosis and trichomes can harm early larvae survival. As a result, some tobacco plants (chiefly N. glauca ) have become established as invasive weeds in some places. The types of tobacco include: Tobacco, alongside its related products , can be infested by parasites such as

552-443: A powerful neurotoxin to insects . However, tobaccos tend to contain a much higher concentration of nicotine than the others. Unlike many other Solanaceae species, they do not contain tropane alkaloids , which are often poisonous to humans and other animals. Despite containing enough nicotine and other compounds such as germacrene and anabasine and other piperidine alkaloids (varying between species) to deter most herbivores ,

621-575: A reputation as a therapeutic food by the 14th century. One of the most common sauces of the age, green sauce , was made with parsley and often sage as well. In a 14th-century recipe recorded in Latin "for lords, for settling their temperament and whetting their appetite" green sauce is served with a dish of cheese and whole egg yolks boiled in watered down wine with herbs and spices. Perennial herbs are usually reproduced by stem cuttings, either softwood cuttings of immature growth, or hardwood cuttings where

690-450: A second stage of curing, known as fermenting or sweating . Cavendish undergoes fermentation pressed in a casing solution containing sugar and/or flavoring. Production of tobacco leaf increased by 40% between 1971, when 4.2 million tons of leaf were produced, and 1997, when 5.9 million tons of leaf were produced. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of

759-516: A serious nature, and should be used with caution. Complications can also arise when being taken with some prescription medicines. Herbs have long been used as the basis of traditional Chinese herbal medicine , with usage dating as far back as the first century CE and far before. In India, the Ayurveda medicinal system is based on herbs. Medicinal use of herbs in Western cultures has its roots in

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828-444: A source of relaxation or can be associated with rituals. Herbs were used in prehistoric medicine . As far back as 5000 BCE, evidence that Sumerians used herbs in medicine was inscribed on cuneiform. In 162 CE, the physician Galen was known for concocting complicated herbal remedies that contained up to 100 ingredients. Some plants contain phytochemicals that have effects on the body. There may be some effects when consumed in

897-545: A woody stem in which all aerial parts (i.e. above ground) die back to the ground at the end of each growing season . Usually the term refers to perennials , although herbaceous plants can also be annuals (plants that die at the end of the growing season and grow back from seed next year), or biennials . This term is in contrast to shrubs and trees which possess a woody stem. Shrubs and trees are also defined in terms of size, where shrubs are less than ten meters tall, and trees may grow over ten meters. The word herbaceous

966-470: Is a record dated 1226 for '12d for Roses for Baron's Chamber and in 1516 for flowers and rushes for chambers for henry the 9th Certain herbs contain psychoactive properties that have been used for both religious and recreational purposes by humans since the early Holocene era, notably the leaves and extracts of the cannabis and coca plants. The leaves of the coca plant have been chewed by people in northern Peruvian societies for over 8,000 years, while

1035-467: Is activated by light. In the United States, tobacco is often fertilized with the mineral apatite , which partially starves the plant of nitrogen , to produce a more desired flavor. After the plants are about 8 inches (20 cm) tall, they are transplanted into the fields. Farmers used to have to wait for rainy weather to plant. A hole is created in the tilled earth with a tobacco peg, either

1104-432: Is also used in some countries. Dried tobacco leaves are mainly used for smoking in cigarettes and cigars , as well as pipes and shishas . They can also be consumed as snuff , chewing tobacco , dipping tobacco , and snus . Tobacco contains the highly addictive stimulant alkaloid nicotine as well as harmala alkaloids . Tobacco use is a cause or risk factor for many deadly diseases, especially those affecting

1173-423: Is cultivated annually, and can be harvested in several ways. In the oldest method, still used, the entire plant is harvested at once by cutting off the stalk at the ground with a tobacco knife; it is then speared onto sticks, four to six plants a stick, and hung in a curing barn. In the 19th century, bright tobacco began to be harvested by pulling individual leaves off the stalk as they ripened. The leaves ripen from

1242-491: Is cultivated similarly to other agricultural products. Seeds were at first quickly scattered onto the soil. However, young plants came under increasing attack from flea beetles ( Epitrix cucumeris or E. pubescens ), which caused destruction of half the tobacco crops in United States in 1876. By 1890, successful experiments were conducted that placed the plant in a frame covered by thin cotton fabric. Modern tobacco seeds are sown in cold frames or hotbeds, as their germination

1311-426: Is derived from Latin herbāceus meaning "grassy", from herba "grass, herb". Another sense of the term herb can refer to a much larger range of plants, with culinary, therapeutic or other uses. For example, some of the most commonly described herbs such as sage , rosemary and lavender would be excluded from the botanical definition of an herb as they do not die down each year, and they possess woody stems. In

1380-441: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Tobacco Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus Nicotiana of the family Solanaceae , and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the chief commercial crop is N. tabacum . The more potent variant N. rustica

1449-447: Is still done by hand. In the U.S., North Carolina and Kentucky are the leaders in tobacco production, followed by Tennessee , Virginia , Georgia , South Carolina and Pennsylvania . Curing and subsequent aging allow for the slow oxidation and degradation of carotenoids in tobacco leaf. This produces certain compounds in the tobacco leaves and gives a sweet hay, tea , rose oil , or fruity aromatic flavor that contributes to

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1518-536: Is used for tobacco production. Since 1947, the Indian government has supported growth in the tobacco industry. India has seven tobacco research centers, located in Tamil Nadu , Andhra Pradesh , Punjab , Bihar , Mysore , and West Bengal which houses the core research institute. In Brazil, around 135,000 family farmers cite tobacco production as their main economic activity. Tobacco has never exceeded 0.7% of

1587-594: Is widespread on farms in Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Malawi, and Zimbabwe. While some of these children work with their families on small, family-owned farms, others work on large plantations. In late 2009, reports were released by the London-based human-rights group Plan International , claiming that child labor was common on Malawi (producer of 1.8% of the world's tobacco ) tobacco farms. The organization interviewed 44 teens, who worked full-time on farms during

1656-553: The Lasioderma serricorne (tobacco beetle) and the Ephestia elutella (tobacco moth), which are the most widespread and damaging parasites to the tobacco industry . Infestation can range from the tobacco cultivated in the fields to the leaves used for manufacturing cigars , cigarillos , cigarettes , etc. Both the larvae of Lasioderma serricorne and caterpillars of Ephestia elutella are considered pests . Tobacco

1725-554: The Caribbean . In Taíno, it was said to mean either a roll of tobacco leaves (according to Bartolomé de las Casas , 1552), or to tabago , a kind of L-shaped pipe used for sniffing tobacco smoke (according to Oviedo, with the leaves themselves being referred to as cohiba ). However, perhaps coincidentally, similar words in Spanish, Portuguese and Italian were used from 1410 for certain medicinal herbs . These probably derived from

1794-683: The Hippocratic (Greek) elemental healing system, based on a quaternary elemental healing metaphor. Famous herbalist of the Western tradition include Avicenna (Persian), Galen (Roman), Paracelsus (German Swiss), Culpepper (English) and the botanically inclined Eclectic physicians of 19th century/early 20th century America ( John Milton Scudder , Harvey Wickes Felter , John Uri Lloyd ). Modern pharmaceuticals had their origins in crude herbal medicines, and to this day, some drugs are still extracted as fractionate/isolate compounds from raw herbs and then purified to meet pharmaceutical standards. There

1863-585: The Northeast Woodlands cultures have carried tobacco in pouches as a readily accepted trade item. It was smoked both socially and ceremonially , such as to seal a peace treaty or trade agreement. In some Native cultures, tobacco is seen as a gift from the Creator , with the ceremonial tobacco smoke carrying one's thoughts and prayers to the Creator. Some Native Americans consider tobacco to be

1932-460: The bong or the hookah (see thuốc lào for a modern continuance of this practice). Tobacco became so popular that the English colony of Jamestown used it as currency and began exporting it as a cash crop; tobacco is often credited as being the export that saved Virginia from ruin. While a lucrative product, the growing expansion of tobacco demand was intimately tied to the history of slavery in

2001-535: The heart , liver , and lungs as well as many cancers . In 2008, the World Health Organization named tobacco use as the world's single greatest preventable cause of death. The English word 'tobacco' originates from the Spanish word tabaco . The precise origin of this word is disputed, but it is generally thought to have derived, at least in part, from Taíno , the Arawakan language of

2070-517: The mint family , that are used for both culinary and medicinal purposes. Emperor Charlemagne (742–814) compiled a list of 74 different herbs that were to be planted in his gardens. The connection between herbs and health is important already in the European Middle Ages-- The Forme of Cury (that is, "cookery") promotes extensive use of herbs, including in salads, and claims in its preface "the assent and advisement of

2139-471: The tobacco mosaic virus (TMV); fungi; bacteria and nematodes); weed management via herbicide tolerance; resistance against insect pests; resistance to drought and cold; and production of useful products such as pharmaceuticals; and use of GM plants for bioremediation , have all been tested in over 400 field trials using tobacco. Currently, only the US is producing GM tobacco. The Chinese virus-resistant tobacco

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2208-432: The "smoothness" of the smoke. Starch is converted to sugar, which glycates protein, which is oxidized into advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs), a caramelization process that also adds flavor. Inhalation of these AGEs in tobacco smoke contributes to atherosclerosis and cancer . Levels of AGEs are dependent on the curing method used. Tobacco can be cured through several methods, including: Some tobaccos go through

2277-940: The 2007–08 growing season. The child-laborers complained of low pay and long hours, as well as physical and sexual abuse by their supervisors. They also reported experiencing green tobacco sickness , a form of nicotine poisoning. When wet leaves are handled, nicotine from the leaves gets absorbed in the skin and causes nausea, vomiting, and dizziness. Children were exposed to levels of nicotine equivalent to smoking 50 cigarettes, just through direct contact with tobacco leaves. The effects of nicotine on human brain development in children can permanently alter brain structure and function. Major tobacco companies have encouraged global tobacco production. Philip Morris , British American Tobacco , and Japan Tobacco each own or lease tobacco-manufacturing facilities in at least 50 countries and buy crude tobacco leaf from at least 12 more countries. This encouragement, along with government subsidies, has led to

2346-604: The Arabic طُبّاق ṭubbāq (also طُباق ṭubāq ), a word reportedly dating to the ninth century, referring to various herbs. According to Iroquois mythology , tobacco first grew out of Earth Woman's head after she died giving birth to her twin sons , Sapling and Flint . Tobacco has long been used in the Americas, with some cultivation sites in Mexico dating back to 1400–1000 BC. Many Native American tribes traditionally grow and use tobacco. Historically, people from

2415-553: The Caribbean. The alleged benefits of tobacco also contributed to its success. The astronomer Thomas Harriot , who accompanied Sir Richard Grenville on his 1585 expedition to Roanoke Island , thought that the plant "openeth all the pores and passages of the body" so that the bodies of the natives "are notably preserved in health, and know not many grievous diseases, wherewithal we in England are often times afflicted." Production of tobacco for smoking, chewing, and snuffing became

2484-474: The U.S. states in exchange for a combination of yearly payments to the states and voluntary restrictions on advertising and marketing of tobacco products. In the 1970s, Brown & Williamson cross-bred a strain of tobacco to produce Y1 , a strain containing an unusually high nicotine content, nearly doubling from 3.2 to 3.5%, to 6.5%. In the 1990s, this prompted the Food and Drug Administration to allege that tobacco companies were intentionally manipulating

2553-526: The United Nations, tobacco leaf production was expected to hit 7.1 million tons by 2010. This number is a bit lower than the record-high production of 1992, when 7.5 million tons of leaf were produced. The production growth was almost entirely due to increased productivity by developing nations, where production increased by 128%. During that same time, production in developed countries actually decreased. China's increase in tobacco production

2622-519: The United States have access to petroleum, coal, and natural gas, which can be used as alternatives to wood, most developing countries still rely on wood in the curing process. Brazil alone uses the wood of 60 million trees per year for curing, packaging, and rolling cigarettes. In 2017 WHO released a study on the environmental effects of tobacco. Several tobacco plants have been used as model organisms in genetics . Tobacco BY-2 cells , derived from N. tabacum cultivar 'Bright Yellow-2', are among

2691-1046: The bark has been scraped to expose the cambium layer. A cutting will usually be approximately 3 to 4 inches in length. Plant roots can grow from the stems. Leaves are stripped from the lower portion up to one half before the cutting is placed in growth medium or rooted in a glass of water. This process requires high humidity in the environment, sufficient light, and root zone heat. Culinary herbs are distinguished from vegetables in that, like spices, they are used in small amounts and provide flavor rather than substance to food . Herbs can be perennials such as thyme , oregano , sage or lavender , biennials such as parsley , or annuals like basil . Perennial herbs can be shrubs such as rosemary ( Rosmarinus officinalis ), or trees such as bay laurel ( Laurus nobilis ) – this contrasts with botanical herbs , which by definition cannot be woody plants. Some plants are used as both herbs and spices, such as dill weed and dill seed or coriander leaves and seeds. There are also some herbs, such as those in

2760-419: The country's total cultivated area. In the southern regions of Brazil, Virginia, and Amarelinho, flue-cured tobacco, as well as burley and Galpão Comum air-cured tobacco, are produced. These types of tobacco are used for cigarettes. In the northeast, darker, air- and sun-cured tobacco is grown. These types of tobacco are used for cigars, twists, and dark cigarettes. Brazil's government has made attempts to reduce

2829-554: The efficacity of herbal medicines. The use of herbal cosmetics dates back to around six centuries ago in the European and Western countries. Mixtures and pastes were often concocted to whiten the face. During the 1940s, herbal cosmetics took a turn with the emerging red lipstick color, with every year gaining a more intense red. Herbal cosmetics come in many forms, such as face creams, scrubs, lipstick, natural fragrances, powders, body oils, deodorants and sunscreens. They activate through

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2898-478: The epithelium of sebaceous glands to make the skin more supple. Ayurvedic oils are widely used in India, prized for their natural health-giving properties. One method and perhaps the best, used to extract natural oils from herbs to make lipstick is partition chromatography . The process involves separation in watery solution, and then the injection of colour under pressure. Strewing herbs are scattered (strewn) over

2967-405: The ground upwards, so a field of tobacco harvested in this manner entails the serial harvest of a number of "primings", beginning with the volado leaves near the ground, working to the seco leaves in the middle of the plant, and finishing with the potent ligero leaves at the top. Before harvesting, the crop must be topped when the pink flowers develop. Topping always refers to the removal of

3036-513: The groundwork for all genetically modified crops . Because of its importance as a research tool, transgenic tobacco was the first genetically modified (GM) crop to be tested in field trials, in the United States and France in 1986; China became the first country in the world to approve commercial planting of a GM crop in 1993, which was tobacco. Many varieties of transgenic tobacco have been intensively tested in field trials. Agronomic traits such as resistance to pathogens (viruses, particularly to

3105-508: The harmful effects of tobacco. Between 2019 and 2021, concerns about increased COVID-19 health risks due to tobacco consumption facilitated smoking reduction and cessation. Many species of tobacco are in the genus of herbs Nicotiana . It is part of the nightshade family ( Solanaceae ) indigenous to North and South America, Australia, south west Africa, and the South Pacific . Most nightshades contain varying amounts of nicotine ,

3174-463: The health revelations of the late 20th century. Following the scientific revelations of the mid-20th century, tobacco was condemned as a health hazard, and eventually became recognized as a cause of cancer, as well as other respiratory and circulatory diseases. In the United States , this led to the adoption of the 1998 Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement , which settled the many lawsuits by

3243-419: The market price. While this price is guaranteed, it is lower than the natural market price, because of the lack of market risk. To further control tobacco in their borders, China founded a State Tobacco Monopoly Administration (STMA) in 1982. The STMA controls tobacco production, marketing, imports, and exports, and contributes 12% to the nation's national income. As noted above, despite the income generated for

3312-503: The masters of physic and philosophy in the King's Court". Some herbs can be infused in boiling water to make herbal teas (also termed tisanes). Typically the dried leaves, flowers or seeds are used, or fresh herbs are used. Herbal teas tend to be made from aromatic herbs, may not contain tannins or caffeine , and are not typically mixed with milk. Common examples include chamomile tea , or mint tea . Herbal teas are often used as

3381-789: The monastic era, monks would cultivate herbs alongside vegetables, while others would be set aside in a physic garden for specific purposes. For example, myrrh ( Commiphora myrrha ) and frankincense ( Boswellia species) in Hellenistic religion , the nine herbs charm in Anglo-Saxon paganism , neem ( Azadirachta indica ) leaves, bael ( Aegele marmelos ) leaves, holy basil or tulsi ( Ocimum tenuiflorum ), turmeric or "haldi" ( Curcuma longa ), cannabis in Hinduism , and white sage in Wicca . Rastafari also consider cannabis to be

3450-411: The most important research tools in plant cytology . Tobacco has played a pioneering role in callus culture research and the elucidation of the mechanism by which kinetin works, laying the groundwork for modern agricultural biotechnology . The first genetically modified plant was produced in 1982, using Agrobacterium tumefaciens to create an antibiotic-resistant tobacco plant. This research laid

3519-592: The nicotine content of cigarettes . The desire of many addicted smokers to quit has led to the development of tobacco cessation products . In 2003, in response to growth of tobacco use in developing countries, the World Health Organization successfully rallied 168 countries to sign the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The convention is designed to push for effective legislation and enforcement in all countries to reduce

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3588-423: The noun "herb" refers to a "plant that does not produce a woody stem", and the adjective "herbaceous" means "herb-like", referring to parts of the plant that are green and soft in texture". "What is a herb?" "The friend of physicians and the praise of cooks." -- Alcuin and his student Charlemagne In botany , the term herb refers to a herbaceous plant , defined as a small, seed-bearing plant without

3657-456: The outskirts of Toledo , more specifically in an area known as "Los Cigarrales" named after the continuous plagues of cicadas ( cigarras in Spanish). Before the development of the lighter Virginia and white burley strains of tobacco, the smoke was too harsh to be inhaled. Small quantities were smoked at a time, using a pipe like the midwakh or kiseru , or newly invented waterpipes such as

3726-433: The period between planting the seeds in greenhouses and transplanting the young plants to the field. Pesticide use has been worsened by the desire to produce larger crops in less time because of the decreasing market value of tobacco. Pesticides often harm tobacco farmers because they are unaware of the health effects and the proper safety protocol for working with pesticides. These pesticides, as well as fertilizers, end up in

3795-484: The plant might be considered "herbs", including leaves, roots, flowers, seeds, root bark, inner bark (and cambium ), resin and pericarp . The word "herb" is pronounced / h ɜːr b / in Commonwealth English , but / ɜːr b / is standard among American English speakers as well as those from regions where h-dropping occurs. In Canadian English , both pronunciations are common. In botany,

3864-407: The plant world into trees, shrubs, and herbs. Herbs came to be considered in three groups, namely pot herbs (e.g. onions), sweet herbs (e.g. thyme), and salad herbs (e.g. wild celery). During the seventeenth century as selective breeding changed the plants size and flavor away from the wild plant, pot herbs began to be referred to as vegetables as they were no longer considered only suitable for

3933-477: The pot. Botany and the study of herbs was, in its infancy, primarily a study of the pharmacological uses of plants. During the Middle Ages, when humoral theory guided medicine, it was posited that foodstuffs, possessing their own humoral qualities, could alter the humoral temperaments of people. Parsley and sage were often used together in medieval cookery, for example in chicken broth , which had developed

4002-564: The production of tobacco but has not had a successful systematic antitobacco farming initiative. Brazil's government, however, provides small loans for family farms, including those that grow tobacco, through the Programa Nacional de Fortalecimento da Agricultura Familiar . The International Labour Office reported that the most child-laborers work in agriculture, which is one of the most hazardous types of work. The tobacco industry houses some of these working children. Use of children

4071-413: The small levels that typify culinary "spicing", and some herbs are toxic in larger quantities. For instance, some types of herbal extract, such as the extract of St. John's-wort ( Hypericum perforatum ) or of kava ( Piper methysticum ) can be used for medical purposes to relieve depression and stress. However, large amounts of these herbs may lead to toxic overload that may involve complications, some of

4140-510: The soil, waterways, and the food chain. Coupled with child labor, pesticides pose an even greater threat. Early exposure to pesticides may increase a child's lifelong cancer risk, as well as harm their nervous and immune systems. As with all crops, tobacco crops extract nutrients (such as phosphorus , nitrogen , and potassium ) from soil, decreasing its fertility. Furthermore, the wood used to cure tobacco in some places leads to deforestation. While some big tobacco producers such as China and

4209-507: The state by profits from state-owned tobacco companies and the taxes paid by companies and retailers, China's government has acted to reduce tobacco use. India's Tobacco Board is headquartered in Guntur in the state of Andhra Pradesh . India has 96,865 registered tobacco farmers and many more who are not registered. In 2010, 3,120 tobacco product manufacturing facilities were operating in all of India. Around 0.25% of India's cultivated land

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4278-560: The surname [ edit ] Yoni Tabac (born 1980), Israeli actor Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Tabac . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tabac&oldid=1093374858 " Categories : Disambiguation pages Disambiguation pages with surname-holder lists Hidden categories: Short description

4347-399: The tobacco flower before the leaves are systematically harvested. As the industrial revolution took hold, the harvesting wagons which were used to transport leaves were equipped with man-powered stringers, an apparatus that used twine to attach leaves to a pole. In modern times, large fields are harvested mechanically, although topping the flower and in some cases the plucking of immature leaves

4416-594: The use of cannabis as a psychoactive substance dates back to the first century CE in China and northern Africa . Indigenous Australian peoples developed " bush medicine " based on plants that were readily available to them. The isolation of these groups meant the remedies developed were for far less serious diseases than the western illnesses they contracted during colonisation. Herbs such as river mint , wattle and eucalyptus were used for coughs, diarrhea, fever and headaches. Herbs are used in many religions . During

4485-508: The wider sense, herbs may be herbaceous perennials but also trees, subshrubs, shrubs, annuals, lianas , ferns , mosses , algae , lichens , and fungi . Herbalism can utilize not just stems and leaves but also fruit, roots, bark and gums. Therefore, one suggested definition of an herb is a plant which is of use to humans, although this definition is problematic since it could cover a great many plants that are not commonly described as herbs. Ancient Greek philosopher Theophrastus divided

4554-468: The world. The top producers of tobacco are China (36.3%), India (12.9%), Brazil (11.9%) and Zimbabwe (3.5%). Around the peak of global tobacco production, 20 million rural Chinese households were producing tobacco on 2.1 million hectares of land. While it is the major crop for millions of Chinese farmers, growing tobacco is not as profitable as cotton or sugarcane, because the Chinese government sets

4623-564: Was sometimes associated with promiscuity ; in Japan, during the Edo period , prostitutes and their clients often approached one another under the guise of offering a smoke. The same was true in 19th-century Europe. Herb Herbs have a variety of uses including culinary, medicinal, aromatic and in some cases, spiritual. General usage of the term "herb" differs between culinary herbs and medicinal herbs ; in medicinal or spiritual use, any parts of

4692-513: Was the single biggest factor in the increase in world production. China's share of the world market increased from 17% in 1971 to 47% in 1997. This growth can be partially explained by the existence of a low import tariff on foreign tobacco entering China. While this tariff was reduced from 66% in 1999 to 10% in 2004, it has still led to local Chinese cigarettes being preferred over foreign cigarettes because of their lower cost. Every year, about 5.9 million tons of tobacco are produced throughout

4761-483: Was withdrawn from the market in China in 1997. From 2002 to 2010, cigarettes made with GM tobacco with reduced nicotine content were available in the US under the market name Quest. Tobacco is consumed in many forms and through a number of different methods. Some examples are: Tobacco used in the mouth (buccal ( sublabial ), sublingual ): Smoking in public was, for a long time, reserved for men, and smoking by women

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