Tobacco Companies Seducing Farming Away From Food Crops

[User]

Powerful tobacco companies are encouraging farmers to switch to growing this harmful plant rather than food crops on prime agricultural land. With seeds and other inputs coming from the companies, as well as 100% guaranteed sale of the cured leaves to the companies, farmers obviously find it far more profitable than rice or vegetables. They do not care that the tobacco plant destroys the fertility of the soil in the long run, not to mention the health of present and future smokers.

If smoking is what these companies want to encourage, why not go for cannabis sativa instead ? This versatile hemp plant has over the years been wrongly maligned, and the tobacco industry has a lot to do with the mal-propaganda. The cannabis sativa plant is actually the plant kingdom's richest source of life-giving essential fatty acids and should not be kept in the doghouse simply because the tetra-hydra-cannabinol (THC), derived from the flowers, leaves and resin of this versatile plant, happens to be much sought-after as a recreational 'soft' drug.

Its medicinal properties and nutritional value, apart from other useful applications, have been far more important for centuries which is why the National Institute of Oilseed Products in the USA fought against its prohibition in the 1930s. Its seeds were used both for oil and as oatmeal. Millions of people have been known to use the cannabis plant for food, especially in periods of famine. In addition the fibre could be spun into twine and yarn. So, it is not as harmful as tobacco and can be economically more valuable. So tobacco companies should switch to cannabis.


NewsHawk: User: http://www.420magazine.com/
Source: thefinancialexpress-bd.com
Author: M Syedul Haque
Copyright: 2010 The Financial Express
Contact: Financial Express
Website: Tobacco companies seducing farming away from food crops

[stonedrock]

When the time comes ofcourse they will get in to the weed growing business. Thats a no brainer, in fact they will want to be in the distibution portion of it too. $$$$$$$$$$$$$

[honestone]

Tobacco companies have been encouraging farmers to grow tobacco for at least the past three decades that I know of. I am positive of this because my granddaddy grew tobacco in NC.
I am waiting for the day RJ Reynolds gets in the marijuana business. When that happens we will no longer have a need for dispensaries and their outrageous prices. RJ Reynolds can do it better and charge less.
Many farmers in NC are cultivating marijuana even though NC is not a medical marijuana state. The farmers feel like they have to grow pot cause there isn't as much money in tobacco as there used to be.