Tobacco project/research/video

[abstract]

I have to say, btw, it's really great to see how you've been pursuing this subject, abstract.

Thanks. It's really a big help having you guys though.

I need to get back on track though, so much happens in just a few days and all of a sudden you can forget that you're even supposed to be doing something.

:O

 

[Meg]

Can you use this in your project anywhere, Abstract? :P

 

[aurora]

Abstract,

I hope you success in this research. Also beware of genetically modified tobacco plants. While I did a quick search on google for turkish tobacco, I came across a page which sells organic turkish tobacco seeds from US. Lately in Turkey cigarette prices have gone up sharply so my son and I buy turkish tobacco, filtered cigarette paper and fill them in by a simple gadget. I have noticed that it does not smell so bad as the other cigarettes. My son who is more sensitive says he cannot smoke ready made cigarettes now. The website of British American Tobacco Inc gives some info about the tobacco and filters used. I am still searching for organic tobacco in Turkey but no results as of now.

 

[abstract]

Can you use this in your project anywhere, Abstract?

sure can. Yeah guys, smoking is okay as long as it's only done behind closed doors by government officials.

Just so we're all aware.

 

[abstract]

I have written up what I think will serve as a useful introduction, regardless of whether i decide to do written or video format. :)


Tobacco. Many people tend to have one shared reaction to this word. You might think of cancer, emphysema, or some of the other
diseases you're supposed to get if you smoke tobacco. You might think of your grandma that was a heavy smoker
and acquired cancer, supposedly from tobacco. Regardless of what you think of, most people have a negative image
formed in the mind by the words "tobacco", "nicotine", and so on. There are a myriad of statistics surrounding smoking, all
of them totally negative. They say tobacco causes heart disease, makes you impotent, and gives you bad breath.

Stop for a minute and please ask yourself if you've EVER IN YOUR LIFE done any research or looked at any viewpoints outside
of the anti smoking commercials on television.

NO YOU HAVE NOT. You have been taking their word for it. It is not your own thought or opinion that tobacco is unhealthy.

It is an idea implanted into you by that mind control device called a television.

I WILL NOT PRETEND FOR ONE SECOND THAT TOBACCO IS AN UNHEALTHY PRACTICE. If you're looking for someone to tell you
how evil smoking is, if you wanna look the other way and ignore the facts that are right in front of your face if you
know where to look, be my guest.

If you want to finally understand what all the fuss over tobacco is about, then please stay with us.
Open your mind, your eyes, and your ears.

I will begin by stating what I intend to not only prove, but also show you how the popular opinion of tobacco
is an absolute contrivance!

I intend to prove through logic, reason, and general COMMON SENSE that tobacco has always been and will always be
a healthy, wholesome practice. I intend to prove that tobacco does not and cannot cause cancer, or any other disease
that "experts" claim. I intend to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the government is not in fact
improving our health, but hindering it.

I intend to prove that second hand smoke DOES NOT harm or kill anyone, and in fact I intend to disprove
EVERY SINGLE VIEWPOINT HELD BY THE ANTI SMOKING LOBBIES AND CAMPAIGNS!

You will see how tobacco is one of the most beneficial substances on the planet.

By the end of this you may find yourself absolutely furious that we've been lied to.

You will see how anti smoking laws and campaigns are a savage hypocrisy and an attack on our rights as individuals.

If you don't walk away from this feeling absolutely shocked...i haven't done what i wanted to do.

I REFUSE TO BEAT AROUND THE BUSH, I REFUSE TO FALTER OR WAIVER, I REFUSE TO ACCEPT LIES, AND I REFUSE TO ADMIT

THAT ANYTHING WE'RE TOLD ABOUT TOBACCO IS THE TRUTH IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM.

Now we may begin...



So what do we reckon? ;D

 

[Hesper]

It's definitely a strong introduction! The only thing that put me off was the comment about the grandmother. I think that could really shut people down before they get to the important parts. Maybe you could throw in something about smokers being made to feel guilty and less than human? Hope this helps but all-in-all I'm really liking what you're doing Abstract.

 

[abstract]

ooohhh...you're right about the grandma thing, i was just thinkin away, y'know?

thnx for your compliment.

 

[Al Today]

You will see how tobacco is one of the most beneficial substances on the planet.

Perhaps a little too absolute? One of the most beneficial? At least beneficial? Where is the happy middle?

I like the confident attitude !!! Go man go...


Me too...

 

[abstract]

Perhaps a little too absolute? One of the most beneficial? At least beneficial? Where is the happy middle?

While i will agree that there is no "free lunch", I absolutely believe that tobacco, in it's normal, natural, untainted state, is just as healthy

as eatin' yer vegetables.

Granted, some people have a negative reaction but a LOT of those negative reactions tend to come from additives. I've discovered this myself.

smoking a pipe, i've found that i can take a much higher dose of nicotine than cigarettes...without getting nauseated.

Now, i would say that anything that is good for your brain is an absolute hells yeah. But maybe you're right, it seems too dramatic.

 

[Beau]

I have written up what I think will serve as a useful introduction, regardless of whether i decide to do written or video format. :)


Stop for a minute and please ask yourself if you've EVER IN YOUR LIFE done any research or looked at any viewpoints outside
of the anti smoking commercials on television.

NO YOU HAVE NOT. You have been taking their word for it. It is not your own thought or opinion that tobacco is unhealthy.

To me, this is too confrontational and it is assumes something that may, in fact, be wrong. Many people could research honestly, but come against all the ponerized science in favor of anti-tobacco legislation. I think you need to tone down your presentation to a more even-keeled nature. Take away the ALL CAPS, those should never be in an editorial article IMO.

It is an idea implanted into you by that mind control device called a television.

Too conspiratorial and all-encompassing. What about someone who doesn't watch TV, but got their ideas from other mediums?

I WILL NOT PRETEND FOR ONE SECOND THAT TOBACCO IS AN UNHEALTHY PRACTICE. If you're looking for someone to tell you
how evil smoking is, if you wanna look the other way and ignore the facts that are right in front of your face if you
know where to look, be my guest.

GET RID OF ALL CAPS!! See how that comes across? Also, denigrating people's intelligence, albeit in a subtle manner, isn't the best way to get people to accept what you are presenting. Although challenging their intelligence can be a good way to get people to listen to what you have to say, you'll have to be able to follow up on your claims.

If you want to finally understand what all the fuss over tobacco is about, then please stay with us.
Open your mind, your eyes, and your ears.

I will begin by stating what I intend to not only prove, but also show you how the popular opinion of tobacco
is an absolute contrivance!

I intend to prove through logic, reason, and general COMMON SENSE that tobacco has always been and will always be
a healthy, wholesome practice. I intend to prove that tobacco does not and cannot cause cancer, or any other disease
that "experts" claim. I intend to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the government is not in fact
improving our health, but hindering it.

I think the above should be where you start the article. Clear, concise, and without any kind of in-your-face attitude.

I intend to prove that second hand smoke DOES NOT harm or kill anyone, and in fact I intend to disprove
EVERY SINGLE VIEWPOINT HELD BY THE ANTI SMOKING LOBBIES AND CAMPAIGNS!

Good, this should pique the interest of people who have been told mostly their whole life the opposite.

You will see how tobacco is one of the most beneficial substances on the planet.

Make sure you can do this if you're gonna put it out there!

By the end of this you may find yourself absolutely furious that we've been lied to.

You will see how anti smoking laws and campaigns are a savage hypocrisy and an attack on our rights as individuals.

If you don't walk away from this feeling absolutely shocked...i haven't done what i wanted to do.

I REFUSE TO BEAT AROUND THE BUSH, I REFUSE TO FALTER OR WAIVER, I REFUSE TO ACCEPT LIES, AND I REFUSE TO ADMIT

THAT ANYTHING WE'RE TOLD ABOUT TOBACCO IS THE TRUTH IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM.

Now we may begin...

I like all that.

So what do we reckon? ;D

I think if you tone down the screaming all caps and the beginning is altered to make it more friendly to the average reader you have a good start. My thoughts may not even be perfect, others may disagree with what I wrote and think it strikes the right chord. But that's my 2 cents. :)

 

[dant]

I second Heimdallr!
Caps in general is visual shouting and should be avoided.

I am assuming that abstract is providing an intro,
and will provide the data to back up the claims?

 

[abstract]

I think if you tone down the screaming all caps and the beginning is altered to make it more friendly to the average reader you have a good start. My thoughts may not even be perfect, others may disagree with what I wrote and think it strikes the right chord. But that's my 2 cents.

Thanks for the constructive criticism...constructive being the key word.

Yes, i should tone it down some, it's kind of a thin line to walk on though, i feel very strongly about this topic

and it's hard for me to think of other ways to get my point across other than cutting the B.S. and getting to the point.

but i suppose i can cut the B.S. without insulting the reader (which is never my intention)

And also, yeah, some bold, bold statements but that's why this is taking so loooong is because there's so much to go over to make sure

I actually have what i need to persuade the audience into a viewpoint that isn't from a cookie cutter!

Hell, listen, why don't i just write whatever i feel like writing and "employ" someone to help me edit/proofread???? I have a hard time recognizing

when i'm being too harsh or cynical or sarcastic with my writing. I realize I can push people's buttons, but again, when i'm just writing

and brainstorming it's a lil' difficult to tell.

 

[3DStudent]

Nice work abstract. I'm not much of an editor, but I agree with what Heimdallr said. I know it is frustrating what the media and society does to tobacco, but being externally considerate and in a formal and professional manner will get the word across better, osit.

By the way, I appreciate what you're doing, as I now have an investment in it too.

 

[Buddy]

Nice work abstract. I'm not much of an editor, but I agree with what Heimdallr said.

Same here.

I know it is frustrating what the media and society does to tobacco, but being externally considerate and in a formal and professional manner will get the word across better, osit.

I second that. A general audience approach for a general audience + a specific, tailored approach for a specific, targeted audience = maximum effectiveness, osit.

Yes, i should tone it down some, it's kind of a thin line to walk on though, i feel very strongly about this topic

I can feel the dilemma, but your work might accomplish something different than you expect if it comes across as emotion-driven propaganda. Some people seem to care less about facts than they do about someone who can make them 'feel very strongly'.

Fwiw though, I like what you're doing as well. :)

 

[Rabelais]

About free base nicotine, you'll likely never guess the brand of American cigarette with the highest free base content...

Some cigarettes have a "kick" containing 35 times more "freebase" nicotine - the most addictive form - than others, researchers have found. The findings could help rate the addictiveness of different brands, they say.

"Free-base" nicotine is a particularly potent form of the naturally-occurring tobacco drug because it is in an extremely volatile, uncombined form. This means it can be much more rapidly absorbed by the lungs and brain than nicotine derivatives such as nornicotine or its salts.

The new study is the first into the amount of "free-base" nicotine contained in common brands of cigarettes and found wide-ranging differences. The researchers at Oregon Health and Science University used a laboratory smoking device and a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer to collect and analyse smoke from 11 brands of cigarettes. The study measured the first three puffs of smoke from each cigarette.

"Measurements ranged from about one per cent free-base nicotine in the first few puffs to 36 per cent for a specialty US brand," says lead researcher James Pankow. "One type of Marlboro, the leading US brand of king-sized filter cigarettes, contained about 10 per cent free-base nicotine."

Crack cocaine

Previous research has shown that a drug's addictiveness is influenced by the speed at which it is delivered to the brain and absorbed into and from the blood stream.

"The study shows that the modern cigarette does to nicotine what crack does to cocaine," says addiction expert Jack Henningfield, at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. The notorious addictiveness of smoking crack results from the vapourised cocaine reaching the brain almost immediately.

Ian Jones, a nicotine expert at Bath University, UK, adds: "Free-base nicotine is the most damaging form because it is the optimal configuration for binding to the nicotine receptors in the brain, heart and rest of the body. If the binding efficiency is increased, it means the concentration of nicotine at the receptors is higher and so it is very addictive."

"The first few puffs are the most important in terms of addiction, because nicotine reaches the brain within seconds," Jones told New Scientist.

snip

_http://biopsychiatry.com/nicotine/freebase-nicotine.html

Its American Spirit that had the 36%. Typical scare story, but the math is possibly correct.
_http://whyfiles.org/183smoking/2.html

Abstract, if you would like footage of the stages of growth of tobacco, we can video the progress of our plants in France this season. The sprouts have been picked from the propagation trays and are now developing individually in separate pots. When the chance of frost is past they will go into the ground. It looks like we could have as many as 200 plants this year, depending on how much garden space we can come up with.

I just spoke with my neighbor, who happened to be driving past as I was repairing fence today. He was in one of those big ditch diggers on his way to do some work on his property above me. He will do some terrain management for me in the next couple of weeks and I may be able to convert much of my hillside into tabac gardens. This could give us enough space to grow a quantity that will at least help us get off grid, and maybe enough surplus for others. We'll see this year.