[Notforprophet]

Other than his rant about tobacco, this is a good review. BTW - who says the 'Shire weed' is tobacco, anyway? Didn't the Beatles claim it was pot? Maybe it is something else altogether.

[Vast Buffalo Wing Conspiracy]

I believe that in the appendix, Tolkien states that pipeweed is tobacco - some variety of the latin name (nicotea?) is what he used, I believe, so that there would be no confusion as to what he meant. Certainly in the books there is no indication it was anything but tobacco. People don't act wacky, apathetic, or get the munchies, after smoking.