How does growing tobacco harm the environment?
In many developing countries wood is used as fuel to cure tobacco leaves and to construct curing barns. According to a study which assessed the amount of forest and woodland consumed annually for curing tobacco, nearly 5% of all deforestation in developing countries where tobacco is grown was due to tobacco cultivation. Environmental degradation is also caused the tobacco plant, which leaches nutrients from the soil as well as pollution from pesticides and fertilizers applied to tobacco fields. Also tobacco manufacturing produces immense amounts of chemical and manufacturing wastes.
