Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum)
Surprisingly, one of the most popular plants, grown all over the world, is also highly poisonous: tobacco. In 2020, an estimated 22% of the world used it!
- Poison in Leaves: Despite its popularity, tobacco leaves contain high levels of nicotine and anabasine, both harmful alkaloids.
- Fatal Toxin: Tobacco directly, if swallowed, can even be fatal, acting as a heart toxin.
- Addictive Trap: But the real danger lies in nicotine’s addictive power, keeping users hooked on tobacco products.
- Making it “Smoother”: To mask its harshness, tobacco companies add ammonia compounds, creating a “smoother” experience for smokers.
- Even Raw Leaves Kill: Uncooked tobacco leaves can be deadly, causing rapid breathing, nausea, vomiting, pain, sweating, and increased heart rate/blood pressure. The fatal dose from chewing or swallowing tobacco is low.
- Smoking Risks: Inhaling nicotine is also dangerous. For adults, 50-60mg/kg can be fatal. Smoking can cause sweating, sleepiness, tremors, confusion, vomiting, seizures, and even death.
7 World’s Deadliest Plants
Since ancient times, people have used plants as a source of food and a remedy for illnesses. Besides those some plants can be lethal to consume. Like other living things, plants also have natural defences that assist protect them from all the harmful predators that might try to eat them. Some plants contain the deadliest compounds that, when consumed, can cause us to get severely unwell or even die, in addition to stinging spikes and thorns.
Deadliest plants have caused human deaths throughout history, including in 399 BCE, Socrates‘ death from a poison hemlock and babies’ unintentional use of lethal nightshade. Plants have evolved a variety of cunning defenses against their enemies. Unfortunately, a few of these chemical defenses can hurt people by irritating their skin. Some of the variety of plants may appear to be dangerous, but some of them contain some of the worst toxins ever discovered and they also have deadly flowers.
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