Mapacho Roll

Mapacho Roll

Organically grown tobacco roll from Ecuador

Mapacho roll (Nicotiana rustica) is an old variety of tobacco that has been cultivated in the Amazon for many thousands of years. As the plant grows older, the nicotine content slowly increases. The leaves contain about 64% of the nicotine, 18% in the stem, 13% in the root, and 5% in the flowers. The principal active biochemicals are nicotine, nornicotine and anabasine. As many as eight other pyridine alkaloids occur in lower concentrations. This variety is very potent, often containing up to ten times the amount of nicotine that a standard leaf of nicotiana tobacum may have.

In the Amazon, tobacco has an almost universe appeal as medicine, spanning most indigenous groups.  One can take it in different ways, either smoke, snort, or drink it.  When smoked it is used as a way to clear energy; both of a space and of a person. When they are making important decisions, before any man speak a word, he and the entire group would first inhale tobacco from the pipe. This way, a man would speak from his heart, and he would speak the truth.

The indigenous people speak of other plant ‘spirits’ liking the tobacco spirit.  Anyone who partakes in an Ayahuasca ceremony, for example, usually sees the curandero smoking tobacco and often partakes in the ritual smoking themselves.  The curandero believes that tobacco helps the plant spirits.  Tobacco can clear the ceremonial space of energies and allow the curandero to enter a space where healing can occur.  Hence tobacco can literally enhance the experience in an Ayahuasca ceremony.

Our products are not certified by the FDA or for human or animal consumption. They are for incense and soap making purposes, decorative purposes and/or legitimate ethnobotanical research.

WARNING: This product can be habit forming.