10%+ of tobacco cancer caused by fertilizer

[Halcyon Daze]

The radioactive elements occur naturally in the Earth’s crust. So it’s not surprising to find them in soils where crops are grown. In the case of tobacco, this effect tends to be amplified because the most commonly used fertilizers for that plant are phosphate-rich mixtures based on the mineral apatite. And apatite is known to mix up with radioactive elements. Or as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency puts it: “When phosphate fertilizer is spread on the tobacco fields year after year, the concentration of lead-210 and polonoium-210 in the soil rises.” When the soil is stirred up – by planting, plowing, wind, whatever – radioactive particles drift into the air, attach to dust and other particulates there. As these settle back down to the ground, they are often trapped by the naturally sticky leaves of the tobacco plant.

These radioactive residues can be removed by acid-washing the plants. But the documents obtained by the California researchers showed that manufacturers refused to do that for fears that the acid would alter the nicotine and decrease the chemical kick that helps make the products popular. The UCLA analysts went on to calculate the resulting radiation health risk from regular smoking, based in part on the industry’s own analysis. They set the cost of such alpha radiation in the lungs at 120-138 cancer deaths per 1,000 regular smokers.

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/12/so-about-that-glowing-cigarette/

[Sallubrious]

I looked into this a few years ago and was I shocked that that garbage was still being used for crops, both tobacco and food.

The tobacco giants have known about it for a long time but they chose not to stop using it because it's so cheap.

Another issue regarding fertiliser is the heavy use of nitrates to force the plants to produce more leaf. When they use too much nitrate fertiliser especially towards the end of the growth cycle it increases the levels of Tobacco Specific Nitrosamines (TSNA) in the final product which have a direct connection to carcinogenic effects in the smoke. Again the tobacco giants know of this (as do governments) but it is still encouraged because of economical factors.

In Sweden TSNA tobacco has been regulated and drastically reduced, having a major impact on lung cancer rates.

Curing methods also impact TSNA levels as biological processes can increase the TSNA levels in the finished product. Swedish Snus is steam cured and the finished product contains only minor traces of TSNA's as compared to regular American tobacco.

Profits before people.

[Sonny Jim]

thanks Halcyion

god damn it, I am sick of this particular type of unnerving sinking feeling that comes with the realisation you've been consuming something like for example, radioactive element in tobacco and neurotoxins in drinking water (which specifically target the most sacred human parts of the nervous system, like the secret war against endogenous indoleamines perpetrated against populations via water fluoridation, that one really sucks because of how successful it has been ) for sooo many years you must have had significant exposure. I think the fact that lots of it gets done to us with full knowledge of the harm it does, is what makes it the most unnerving for me and the fact that I have be oblivious to it for a long time...kind of like someone's been bashing me whilst I was passed out unconscious....LOL I don't like that feeling.

[Auxin]

Another issue regarding fertiliser is the heavy use of nitrates to force the plants to produce more leaf. When they use too much nitrate fertiliser especially towards the end of the growth cycle it increases the levels of Tobacco Specific Nitrosamines (TSNA) in the final product which have a direct connection to carcinogenic effects in the smoke. Again the tobacco giants know of this (as do governments) but it is still encouraged because of economical factors.

I'm not sure about other countries but in the US its illegal to advertize a tobacco product as less likely to cause cancer, even when its true.

I think the logic is it discourages people from quitting, but the effect is that there is no profit in making a tobacco product less deadly.

It would be a generous anonymous gift to humanity if the tobacco corporations made their products less lethal, but by law it could be no more than that.

However, another US law says its illegal for a corporation to act in any way that would reduce profits to share holders... such as secretly spending money to make tobacco less-lethal.

So in effect, in the USA its illegal to reduce the cancer causing potential of tobacco products.

[Safez]

This has been known since the 70's and has become even more well known in the last decade. Not exactly new information Surprised to see people unaware of it.

[Bigred]

bit of topic but there was a hydroponic nutrient spray by dutch master it was taken off the market

because it caused carcinogens to build up on the plant . fertilizer companies are dodgey look

at ammonium nitrate i can go buy a ton of ammonium nitrate with no real safety checks i use it

in aqua culture to get agal blooms but if i can buy a ton i hate to see what a disgruntled member

of society could do with it

edit would be cool if you could get organic tobacco

Edited December 26, 2012 by bigred82

[Mr. Bowser]

^^ Along the same lines... I was using a soft rock phosphate based hydroponic nutrient solution until I found a heavy metals analysis... contained arsenic (5ppm), cadmium (22ppm), lead (3.5 ppm) YIKES! Although there was no mention of radioactivity of the lead contained, I decided to switch nutes immediately.

[Bigred]

back in the day you could get this female hormone we used to sell the stuff caused men to grow breast's

there are so many pgr's (Plant growth regulator's )that are really out there are still sold as super

nutrients i remember seeing advert's from australian supplier's for 25 kg bags of methedrone plant

booster

[Safez]

edit would be cool if you could get organic tobacco

 

It wouldn't taste like your favourite blend anymore and you'd be left feeling dissatisfied!

sounds like me and you need to have the same goal man, giving up, as quoted by a certain member here, "those industrial waste flavoured sticks" ;)

[waterboy 2.0]

If I buy a ton of ammonium nitrate I will have the Feds on my door these days. I can buy it as a primary producer, but I would be scrutinized . For good reason about two thirds of it was used as fertiliser on farms, the remainder for tree stumps in the day.

When "bloom boosters" hit the market, a wave of products hit the market without trace analysis due to being "secret formulas" and such bullshit. I remember a mate peaking out that owned a hydro store because he couldnt get the products recalled because growers liked the results that some of the heavy metal containing products were producing. Thankfully these products are now off the shelves, but a lot of went out in product to the market however.....