Hi guys,
I have a deep respect for tobacco (nicotiana tabacum) and I try to use it as an ally when I need some good answers. I use tobacco without any additives.

When I was cleaning my pipe the other day, though, I've seen a lot of black dirty smelly stuff, and I thought: can't I really get rid of this?

So I tried soaking one gram of tobacco in Toluene/DCM and filtering it but, with my disappointment, the tobacco was then way less powerful (less nicotine). It was also more gentle on the throat, and delicate, of course.

What solvent or process would you suggest to get rid of the impurities that would leave the nicotine unharmed?

Thank you as always

Possibly a lot of that is just generated from the combustion itself. Did you ever consider vaporizing instead of smoking ?

I haven't actually, since the nicotine needs such high temperatures I did not consider it a good way...

Have you got any good experience with it? How did you vaporize it/what temperature?

Nicotine can be neurotoxic (especially when smoked) and can be seen as a impurity in and of itself. It will kill any animal that dares to exceed its power. I would suggest to not use tobacco resin often, or at all. Have you considered using tobacco as a incense? This can have gentle and mild effects compared to vaporizing, smoking or using tobacco resin (which is basically tar). I've utilized local Elder tobacco in similar ways but ultimately found burning it as incense the most respected and least harmful method. During my Elder tobacco meditations, I found smoking to be best when not inhaled but rather held and blown out slowly from the mouth. Mostly for protection/healing purposes. In a literal sense, tobacco smoke irritates most other animals (including us) and insects that keep them at distance. I've found it good to use in nature to aid in 'clearing the space' so to speak.

Tobacco intoxication is widely varied. It should be mentioned that although the use of tobacco is sacred, medicinal and ritualistic, its effects on the body are disturbing and more than often, damaging. Care must be taken to prevent disease from forming. Nicotine will produce this as it can effect tumor and vessel growth. It may feel pleasant and profoundly intoxicating to use tobacco, yes, just keep in mind that it can destroy your long term health significantly.

Tobacco spirit is a very sharp and impeding energy. It will you lift you up like no other plant, yet silently induce potential growths in your body. In other words, slicing your lifespan in half. Even the elders and shamans knew of these dangers. This is why it must be seen as a incredibly sacred plant.

Just some thoughts, stay safe!

Cognitive Heart do you have any sources for your claim that nicotine is neurotoxic? It's my understanding that pure nicotine in reasonable doses is not a particularly toxic stimulant, and that it is the other components of tobacco, especially the tars when combusted, that pose a health risk.

Here's one study that nicotine can be neuroprotective in certain circumstances: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19714494

The nicotine and other alkaloids within tobacco smoking are toxic. Clearly, less toxic with vaporization. The pure nicotine that is used in scientific study is definitely far from being toxic, agreed. It seems to be well tolerated and beneficial. That's only because it is separated from the other alkaloids and given a specific ROA/measured dose. There seems to be, to my mind, three main sides to current tobacco use. Which is, for sacred-mental, medicinal and recreational purposes. All of which are vastly pharmacologically different from one another. Let's keep in mind that nicotine is one complex molecule and is used for a variety of purposes. Clearly, isolating nicotine changes its role within our bodies. It's interesting how nicotine presents itself in very small quantities in known fruits, vegetables (nightshade) and even Ayurvedic plant medicine.

This was published one year before your link correlating a negative and positive effect.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19924585

You are dead wrong. Nicotine demonstrates nueroprotective behavior, as well as being able to reverse brain damage and enhancement of cognitive memory. It id currently being looked at as a potential treatment for alzheimers and parkenson's disease. Furthermore; in tests using isolated nicotine, nicotine cannot demonstrate any addictive potential. You need the synergistic affects of other alkaloids for addiction.

I've looked well into isolating nicotine, and there are plenty of patents available for you to read. Column chromatography or SFE are sofar the only viable options.

As a side note, nicotine can be toxic/fatal at the right DOSAGE.

I am in agreement that isolated nicotine validates itself as a neuro-protective and beneficial alkaloid. It's quite a risky voyage to smoke tobacco, however.

Also, something interesting here, I found a study indicating some improvement in HIV-1 proteins in the brain from isolated nicotine. Quite fascinating! Among many other publishings. Nicotine does have great potential. In the correct preparation, of course. Hope none of this has derailed the thread..

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26205781

I think it validates the thread if anything. Nicotine is a hell of a compound in a very good way. Also, take for instance myself as an example: I don't plan on quitting smoking. And if I could create a safer, cost effective vape to get my fix I am all for it. Many studies suggest that not too many cases of lung cancer are even associated with smoking, but rather polio vaccines and diet. Diet is key.


http://www.sott.net/arti...inated-With-Cancer-Virus

Nicotine is not addictive in itself but associated with MAOI it's different.
And don't forget that nicotine can be dangerous, so carefull specially when manipulating concentrated.

About polio vaccines & cancer (more)

If i understand well, you're saying there is no correlation with smoking and cancer. Humm, this claim is very dubious (US source)

Hmm, well it's a good thing I didn't say that isn't it I simply said it's not a significant concern. Emphazema on the other hand IS worth being concerned about.

Thanks everyone for the valuable informations, I'm really getting much out of this topic.
BUT
to get back to my point, is there a way to purify the tobacco to get rid of nasty stuff or, anyway, drastically reduce the harm coming out of it?
The DCM/Toluene pull got quite some stuff, oil mostly I guess, out of it, if I could only reduce the amount of nicotine pulled out.
I do not have a vaporizer right now (well I do, but spice only), and I first would like a direct experience from some one who is vaporizing it.

I would not like to work with nicotine due to the very small quantity needed for intoxication and because a small amount gets always lost when you extract, if the nicotine is already little...

Why not just dilute it in vegetable glycerine?

Sorry if i'm unclear but this is the claim very dubious i'm talking about :

The numbers i've found don't tell the same thing :
Tobacco use accounts for at least 30% of all cancer deaths, causing 87% of lung cancer deaths in men, and 70% of lung cancer deaths in women. (Source: Cancer Facts & Figures 2014)

Where are the "Many studies" you're talking about ?

I would have to agree with DansMeTete, here. Tobacco smoking can be dangerous to your health! Smoking anything isn't good, either. Diet does play a significant role, too. I would not have had the psychedelic experiences I've had without a solid diet.

I'll add that currently within my regime, I've incorporated bacopa monnieri for some time now. During some research, I discovered this plant (in extract form) has been found to contain nicotine in albeit very small amounts. I'm unsure of the exact concentration but the capsules I take are within 250mg-500mg whole plant/root extract. It must have a synergistic effect with the other alkaloids present in monnieri. Although I don't feel any typical nicotinic effects, it's interesting nonetheless.

Once upon a time we believed the world was flat, left handed people were demons, and witches would float. We were also told silly things like LSD makes you insane, and marijuana makes you put babies in the oven. Perhaps it just eludes you that people will tell lies to get what they want. Either way, here are some neat links:

http://www.sott.net/arti...you-from-nuclear-fallout

http://www.freedom-of-choice.com/as3.htm

While I am not trying to persuade people into smoking, I will say that smoking may lead to legitimate concerns like emphazema and heart disease; I'm certainly not going to to perpetuate the miscellaneous bullshit handed out on thr government pamplets they use to pass laws and taxes.

I am interested in harm reduction, and if s tobacco vape is a safer alternstive I'm all for it!

sott.net ?!? WTF !?!

Come one 1ce, I love 'spiracies, but that site is a gubmint joke.

Nicotine you mean? Well the problem is the same: extracting is a bit intimidating and I would waste, in proportion, a lot of nicotine, as it is active way below 1 mg.

I will try to look at the tobacco vaporization, even though I still find appealing the idea of dissolve unwanted stuff like tar and oils into some solvent. Maybe more selective than toluene, like petroleum ether

As endlessness said before, most of tar is a product of combustion itself (not complete combustion in fact), so you can't filter it before combustion.
I'm afraid vaporization of tobacco is not so much better (no evidence from me) but you could just lesson 1ce and the 2 very dubious 'studies' saying smoking is not so dangerous lung's cancer speaking and that it only might lead to legitimate concerns like emphazema and heart disease.

Last time I'm going to say it:

Smoking may be harmful, but the primary risks are emphazema and heart disease. These are just as serious as lung cancer. Diseases do not come from nowhere, they are not accidental, they are the biochemical result of environmental stimuli such as food, the bed you sleep in, and of course cigarettes.

Diet carries alot more influence over your overall health than a few cigarettes. Period.