Comments on: Nicotine Beverages?

Question: Nicotine Beverages?

interrobang — Fri, 18 Jun 2004 23:50:46 -0800

Why are there no nicotene beverages? Wouldn't this be a good way to eliminate lung cancer? Why is no one selling "Nico-Tea"?

By: Danelope

Danelope — Sat, 19 Jun 2004 00:15:21 -0800

The FDA has done a good job of shutting them down.

By: gramcracker

gramcracker — Sat, 19 Jun 2004 00:22:07 -0800

It can affect your stomach's acid and bicarb production, potentially leading to stomach ulcers. Its metabolism may be toxic to your liver.

It's also highly toxic more generally--most people don't realize this. Nicotine is commercially sold as an insecticide. It's estimated that eating 6-10 cigarettes can kill an adult. It activates your nicotinic receptors, found in your autonomic nervous system as well as all your muscles, and causes paralysis. If you're not put on a ventillator, or given medications to reverse the blockade, your diaphragm gives out and you suffocate to death.

By: interrobang

interrobang — Sat, 19 Jun 2004 00:24:31 -0800

Hmm. So, would it be deadly to steep the stuff?

By: interrobang

interrobang — Sat, 19 Jun 2004 00:25:25 -0800

(And - for the record - I *have* heard that nicotine in its pure form is intensely deadly.)

By: interrobang

interrobang — Sat, 19 Jun 2004 00:26:41 -0800

And I'm not planning on doing this - I'm just curious.

By: i_am_joe's_spleen

i_am_joe's_spleen — Sat, 19 Jun 2004 01:36:33 -0800

Can't say for sure, interrobang, but I have a gardening book from the 30's that includes a recipe for insect spray where you soak an ounce of tobacco in water to make it. It recommends not getting any on you...

By: dash_slot-

dash_slot- — Sat, 19 Jun 2004 04:46:47 -0800

Now, if I read this thread first, then this one... sorted!

By: bobo123

bobo123 — Sat, 19 Jun 2004 06:08:06 -0800

Because of increasing smoking bans, a bar in Florida has started serving the "nicotini". Personally I think it's a great idea and I'd hate to see it banned.

Nicotini

By: IshmaelGraves

IshmaelGraves — Sat, 19 Jun 2004 08:22:57 -0800

interrobang--yes. The alt.suicide.holiday methods file (which is of dubious reliability, but I think they're correct on this) claims that 40-60 mg of pure nicotine will kill you. Steeping it will give you a lethal mix and you can increase the concentration by boiling offf the water so you just have a gooey nicotine sludge.

I've also been told, though I can't find anything to support it offhand, that it's a fairly undetectable method for poisoning someone who smokes -- forensically it's difficult to distinguish between the amounts of nicotine in the body from smoking and lethal amounts, especially if nobody's looking. Apparently the symptoms resemble a heart attack.

By: nomis

nomis — Sat, 19 Jun 2004 08:41:06 -0800

A number of native South American cultures traditionally used beverages made from tobacco leaves. Here is a reference to its use.

By: jjg

jjg — Sat, 19 Jun 2004 11:06:17 -0800

Aside from the fact that it actually will kill you, nicotine tastes like poison too, as any nicotine gum user can attest. I don't know how that Nicotini thing works, but it's hard to imagine a way to mask the burning sensation in your throat you get from the gum.

By: adamrice

adamrice — Sat, 19 Jun 2004 11:49:48 -0800

Actually, a number of pep drinks in Japan (such as Regain) do contain nicotine, caffeine, sugar, and probably some vanishingly small proportion of herbs used in Chinese medicine. These are typically sold in bottles of about 100 ml; the drinks are yellow and look disgusting. I've never tried one.

By: interrobang

interrobang — Sat, 19 Jun 2004 11:58:33 -0800

Interesting. Thanks, everyone.