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The future of tobacco plants

2006/01/15 Lasa Oiarbide, Aitzol - Elhuyar Zientziaren Komunikazioa

Several States and organisations of the European Union signed in Warsaw (Poland) the European Declaration of Tobacco Free in 2002. Since then, the European Union has taken steps to reduce tobacco demand. Smoking was first banned in schools, public buildings and workplaces, and smoking bans have now been put into effect in bars. What future does tobacco plant production have in this anti-tobacco environment?

In search of the answer to this question, it will go to the list of measures that the European Union wants to put into effect. The Union will grant subsidies to producers of tobacco plants to transform their production. This transformation can be of two forms. On the one hand, they may produce a substitute tobacco culture; otherwise, they may continue to grow tobacco, but this smoking tobacco cannot be used. And if it is not burned, what will that tobacco be used for?

If people quit smoking, we will have to look for another use to the plant.

Although it seems a lie, tobacco has many uses: it can improve shampoos, it serves to treat patients with kidney diabetes and also to fight certain cancers. Who would say that tobacco, a great carcinogen, would serve to cure cancer! Well, genetically modified tobacco plants are used to produce proteins that are then applied in cosmetics or medicine.

Transgenic tobacco

The use of genetically modified plants for protein production is a very widespread technique that has been successful with tobacco plants for its easy transformation. In addition, it is cheaper to synthesize proteins in the laboratory. The first thing we have to do is adapt the plant genetically to generate the protein we want. Then it is very easy to remove the proteins from the plant. Remove the leaves from the plant, which are still green and put them in a crusher machine. The green juice that will leave the machine will be full of proteins. For example, in the United States, they have been able to produce antibodies against antrax.

The tobacco plant in medicine is used for its ease of genetic transformation.

Another example can be found at home. At the Public University of Navarra, a vaccine has been developed against canine parvovirus from the modified chloroplast of the tobacco plant. In addition, a single plant can produce 500 vaccines, which will allow its commercialization.

Smoking tobacco for less smoking

And of course, the transgenic tobacco plant can also be used for smoking. In this case, although it may seem strange, the tobacco plant is enriched with nicotine. With the tobacco so transformed, cigars are made on a regular basis. Thus, smokers smoke less cigarettes. And with these cigarettes the smoker takes the dose of nicotine he needs before, so the body does not ask for another cigarette. Thus, the smoker will take the same amount of nicotine, but at least it will not include other harmful components than cigarettes.

Transgenic tobacco can help anyone who wants to quit smoking.

It is about to see if these transgenic cigars are going to reach the market. If they are marketed, they will become a new solution for tobacco. But, if not, it is clear that tobacco will always follow a long way. In spite of the prohibitions, the tobacco industry gets greater benefits from selling cigarettes. Probably, the hectares of tobacco intended for research are insignificant with respect to traditional tobacco production.

It is clear that tobacco will continue to have a future in one way or another.

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