Story perspectives

Tobacco Plants Engineered to Produce Psychedelic Compounds Sustainably

4/2/2026

Summary

Story summary

The Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel used agroinfiltration to enable tobacco plants to produce five psychedelic compounds, including psilocin and DMT.
The approach aims to create a more sustainable production process for these drugs used in research and medicine.
Agroinfiltration allows temporary modifications without altering the plant's genome.
A 2022 University of Nottingham study showed tobacco plants could synthesize cocaine, highlighting green factories for pharmaceutical compounds.

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Story summary

The Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel used agroinfiltration to enable tobacco plants to produce five psychedelic compounds, including psilocin and DMT.
The approach aims to create a more sustainable production process for these drugs used in research and medicine.
Agroinfiltration allows temporary modifications without altering the plant's genome.
A 2022 University of Nottingham study showed tobacco plants could synthesize cocaine, highlighting green factories for pharmaceutical compounds.