Effects of Nicotiana Glauca

Nicotiana glauca, or tree tobacco, has been used as a religious drug to induce hallucinations or religious dreams, or as a medicinal use to induce vomiting. The substance has also been used to treat lice. Nicotiana glauca is not an FDA-approved medicine, and poses serious health risks if ingested. It is listed as a toxic plant in many states.

Hallucinations

• Tree tobacco, which most commonly grows in California, is occasionally substituted for regular tobacco -- predominantly by Native Americans. When smoked, the plant can induce hallucinations. Depending on the strength of the dosage, hallucinations can continue for hours due to the high amount of anabasine in the tobacco -- a significantly higher level than that in regular smoking tobacco.

Vomiting

• Nicotiana glauca possesses severe vomiting-inducing qualities. In almost every instance, a person smoking Nicotiana glauca will vomit. The higher the dosage of Nicotiana glauca, the more likely a user is to vomit, and the greater chance he has of sustaining vomiting-induced injuries, or death.

Seizures

• The smoking of Nicotiana glauca can result in mild to severe seizures. Because the symptoms of smoking tree tobacco are delayed -- as the body processes anabasine slowly -- users may continue to smoke it without realizing the greater potential for life-threatening seizures, a coma and even death.

Birth Defects

• While birth defects in humans resulting from the use of Nicotiana glauca have not been documented fully, the substance has continuously shown to induce birth defects in livestock, such as goats, horses, cows and sheep. Birth defects have included crooked legs and cleft palates.