In 1982, Luiz Herrera Estrella developed the first genetically modified organism by altering the genome of a tobacco plant.

Today, 90% of the tobacco market is genetically modified to be virus, herbicide, and insect resistant. 

These crops are heavily sprayed with chemicals, which ends up in a large portion of the 6 trillion cigarettes produced annually. For good measure, Big Tobacco throws in another 600 or so additives to make modern cigarettes highly addictive and toxic. 

Organic, homegrown tobacco is a completely different story.

 In fact, tobacco is well respected throughout indigenous cultures as a "master plant" with important communal, health, economic, and spiritual significance. 

We'll go deeper into this topic and share healthier options and perspectives in upcoming posts.

A better way is possible. 

www.intothegardenofeden.com

Sources:

Cao, J., Ibrahim, H., Garcia, J. et al. "Transgenic tobacco plants carrying a baculovirus enhancin gene slow the development and increase the mortality of Trichoplusia ni larvae." Plant Cell Rep (2002) 21: 244. doi:10.1007/s00299-002-0499-z

Deshayes, A, L Herrera-Estrella, and M Caboche. “Liposome-Mediated Transformation of Tobacco Mesophyll Protoplasts by an Escherichia Coli Plasmid.” The EMBO Journal 4.11 (1985): 2731–2737.

Global Tobacco Trends. http://www.healthdata.org/sites/default/files/files/infographics/Infographic_Tobacco_2014.pdf

"History of Genetic Engineering". AmericanRadioWorks.com.

Russell, Andrew and Elizabeth Rahman. The Master Plant: Tobacco in Lowland South America. Bloomsbury Academic.

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