When I moved to North Carolina 7 years ago I didn’t think much about one of the bedrocks of the North Carolina economy: Tobacco. It’s a business dying a slow death, and one only has to look at the closed-up buildings that once housed powerful tobacco conglomerates, such as Liggett and Myers, in downtown Durham. … Continue reading
Tag Archives: nicotine
Medical History: The Exciting True Story of Blowing Smoke Up One’s Arse
I’ve written about the dangers of nicotine before, and particularly about my theory of nicotine playing the part of poison in the death of Game of Throne’s King Joffrey. And lately e-cigarettes, or vaporizers, have become all the rage among consumers and media alike. So of course I’ve given my two-cents about potential e-cig and … Continue reading
Anabasis aphylla and Project CHATTER: A Secret CIA Cold War Poison?
The period of time right after World War II was a dark and shady time for the United States. We had just exited hard fought wars on two fronts with the help of the Soviet Union, our ally. But the United States, and the United Kingdom, never fully trusted the Soviets, and saw them as potential … Continue reading
The Poisoning of King Joffrey
So the vile and young King Joffrey Baratheon finally met his demise. And for most fans of the exceedingly popular HBO series “Game of Thrones” it was a joyous event. I think he’s just misunderstood . . . the poor lad. So how did he die? By poison of course, probably in his wine or food. … Continue reading
Nicotine Poisoning: Made Easier by e-Cigs
That smoking tobacco products is unhealthy comes as no surprise to any individual with a pulse. It is impossible for me to imagine someone thinking that inhaling smoke into their lungs could be anything less than harmful. Firefighters wear sixty pounds of respiration gear for the sole purpose of not inhaling smoke. But I digress. … Continue reading