What is Tobacco?
{{Infobox botanical product | product = Tobacco | image = DunhillLightFlake.jpg | caption = Tobacco flakes, sliced from pressed plugs | plant = ''[[Nicotiana]]'' | part = [[Leaf]] | origin = [[South America]] | active = [[Nicotine]], [[harmine]] | uses = [[Recreational drug use|Recreational]] | legal_AU = Unscheduled | legal_CA = Unscheduled | legal_UK = 16+ (Public Possession) 18+ (Purchase) | legal_US_comment = Illegal for persons under 21<ref>{{cite web| url=https://tobacco21.org/| website=Tobacco 21| title=Tobacco 21 - Preventing Tobacco Addiction Foundation| access-date=22 April 2021| quote=Federal Tobacco 21 is in effect}}</ref> | legal_UN = Unscheduled | legal_EU = Unscheduled | legal_status = See [[tobacco control]] }} [[File:MyrtlefordVicTobaccoDryingHut.JPG| thumb |A historic kiln in [[Myrtleford, Victoria]], Australia]] [[File:basma-tobacco-drying.jpg| thumb |[[Basma]] tobacco leaves drying in the sun at [[Pomak]] village in [[Xanthi, Greece]]]] '''Tobacco''' is a product prepared from the leaves of the tobacco plant by [[curing of tobacco|curing]] them. The plant is part of the genus ''[[Nicotiana]]'' and of the [[Solanaceae]] (nightshade) family. It is used as a [[drug]], mostly by [[:wikt:inhale|inhaling]] the smoke of, but also by using [[snuff]] or chewing. People use [[cigarette]]s, [[cigar]]s, and [[Pipe (smoke)|pipe]] to make tobacco smoke. Tobacco contains the chemical [[nicotine]], which causes pleasure as a [[stimulant]] drug. It also causes [[addiction]] &mdash; after people start using nicotine, it is difficult to stop. Tobacco use can cause diseases, such as many types of [[cancer]]. ==History== [[Native American]]s used tobacco before [[Europe]]ans arrived in [[the Americas]]. The earliest know use of tobacco comes from [[nicotine]] residue from a pipe in the Southeastern United States. It is [[Radiocarbon dating|Radiocarbon dated]] at 1685-1530 BC. <