Spyke

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59 replies

lemmy.world

If we can farm nicotine with modified tomato plants... Can we grow cocaine tomatoes, which are easy as hell to grow? Asking for a friend.

54
lemmy.world

I'll settle for good tomatoes year-round, minus the coke. I mean, sure, coke tomatoes would totally supercharge everyone's summer. But then the Big Dark of winter would suck so much more.

9

Do you have any concept of manic winter cleaning? Have some ceviche or tacos with salsa and get productive, clean the house with a toothbrush or write your novel and accompanying screen play during those long winter months.

S.A.D. no more, geek on tomatoes and get shit done.

6

Tomacco was a fictional product on the Simpsons, unless I missed something.

Which, if i I did, hey, neat.

3
feddit.uk

I never got round to it, but when researching I think tobacco is about the same difficulty to grow as tomatoes

2

Tobacco takes about 90-120 days, tomato is 70-90 days.

Tomatoes also produce a large amount of seeds/fruit and are substantially easier to grow densely in a canopy with under hanging fruit.

4
anomnomreply
sh.itjust.works

Or the entire music industry in the 80s and 90s. I heard some seriously weird stories as an intern.

22

The whole entertainment industry really, Blues Brothers famously had a cocaine budget.

13
lemmy.ca

This sounds like a coca plant with extra steps.

23

It sounds like a coca plant that can grow in more than one region.

22
wizzorreply
sopuli.xyz

I have actually wondered why this isn't a thing. You can order a yeast 2.0 sample from a supplier and the relevant DNA strand from a DNA printing company, multiply the DNA and introduce it to the yeast and you're game.

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Corkyskogreply
sh.itjust.works

I think it's the "introduce it to the yeast" part that's the hard part. But I can't imagine the types of precautions the people who already have a morphine producing yeast strain (yes some people already invented it) must take. The illicit value of that is like priceless.

9
wizzorreply
sopuli.xyz

As I understand the process is fairly straightforward - yeast picks up dna from the environment, so the process involves creating a dna strain which includes both the intended change and a marker change, like resistance to something that would normally kill the yeast. Then introduce the dna to the yeast and introduce the poison which will kill the yeast that didn't pick up the dna.

Anyway, that's what I seem to remember from synth bio course from years ago, I might have misunderstood tho.

7
Venatorreply
lemmy.nz

The hard part for someone trying to do it in a bathtub would probably be making sure it picks up the dna you're wanting and not something else randomly from the environment

3
wizzorreply
sopuli.xyz

That's why you introduce the marker (like resistance to a common antibiotic ) in the same strand, then put antibiotic in the bathtub to kill the rest. Of course its a good idea to wash the tank first...

3

Instructions unclear. My wife is now asking why the bathtub is full of syrup. Please send help.

1

Let's maximize that yield. A thousand cultures an a bit of radioactive substance to up the mutation rate. It could be automated.

2
kitnahtreply
lemmy.world

Well that's the thing - we import tons of tobacco. We don't import tons of coca, without knowing exactly where it's going.

9
lemmy.ca

Coca Cola is permitted to import coca via an agreement with the DEA and produces an estimated $3 billion worth of actual cocaine per year.

Must be nice to be a mega corp.

18
Gerudoreply
lemm.ee

From what I read awhile back, that cocaine goes to pharmaceutical needs.

14
kitnahtreply
lemmy.world

Yep. That's where all the imports go. But if we suddenly have this genetically modified stuff on the market, it's free game baby!

6
lemmy.ca

Good question.

One source (2023) says

That quantity is estimated to produce about two million grams of cocaine, the publication reported. Today, according to pharmaceutical listings online, that’s worth about US$2 billion

??? That's .. Not right

Bulk value 50 million for 2 million g (2000kg). Going by my (likely now outdated) last known value for a key at around 25k.

They're saying it's 1000$/g?!?

Am I tired or are these numbers just completely bonkers?

I don't care if it's the purest shit, that is insane.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/coca-cola-produces-3-billion-worth-of-pure-cocaine-per-year/E4ASXQXKGBFRBAHTGK5AXX57D4/

5
lemmy.world

two million grams of cocaine

What a weird way of describing 2000 kg.

5

Don't tell anyone! They might start an industry around it.

2

Interesting. I can legally grow and process enough tobacco for my own needs.

3