I recall reading long ago, some researchers did an experiment where they planted tobacco on an isolated island with a monkey population. We already know monkeys will consume tobacco, but they assumed they learned by mimicking humans. The monkeys hated the fresh bitter leaves, but once they fell to the ground and cured, they took on a tobacco chewing habit pretty quickly.
> The monkeys hated the fresh bitter leaves, but once they fell to the ground and cured, they took on a tobacco chewing habit pretty quickly. I'm a bit distracted today, at first I thought it was the monkey who fell to the ground and was cured. nicotine as medicine :)
Its not just nicotine. There are other compounds in tabacco that act as MAOIs for example