Tobacco
Tobacco refers to products prepared from cured leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana, primarily N. tabacum. It contains the highly addictive stimulant alkaloid nicotine1, making it one of the most widely used recreational drugs globally with an estimated one billion active smokers.2 Tobacco is consumed through smoking (cigarettes, cigars, pipes), as well as oral forms like chewing tobacco and snuff. The World Health Organization has identified tobacco use as the world's single greatest preventable cause of death3, linked to diseases affecting the heart, liver, lungs, and numerous cancers.1
Contents
Dosage & Duration
Dosage
Duration
Subjective Effects
Effects vary widely by individual, dose, and context.
Physical
Cognitive
Reagent Testing
Loading reagent data
Pharmacology
Pharmacodynamics
Tobacco's primary psychoactive constituent is nicotine, a stimulant alkaloid that acts as a potent neurotoxin to insects but produces characteristic stimulant and reinforcing effects in humans.4 Beyond nicotine, tobacco contains several other pharmacologically active compounds that contribute to its overall effects. 2,3,6-Trimethyl-1,4-naphthoquinone (2,3,6-TQ) functions as a reversible monoamine oxidase inhibitor affecting both MAO-A and MAO-B subtypes, with binding affinity comparable to clorgyline and deprenyl.5 This compound acts as a stronger dopamine releasing agent than nicotine itself and inhibits dopamine metabolism through its MAOI activity.5 Tobacco also contains the harmala alkaloids harmine and norharmine, which are reversible MAO-A inhibitors.67 The MAO-A inhibitory activity of these tobacco alkaloids has been implicated in contributing to tobacco's reinforcing and addictive properties beyond what nicotine alone would produce.89
Pharmacokinetics
When tobacco is smoked, nicotine is rapidly absorbed through the lungs with effects beginning within approximately 20 seconds.104 The duration of acute effects is relatively brief, lasting around 20 minutes. Tobacco also contains anabasine and other piperidine alkaloids in varying concentrations between species, as well as germacrene. The curing process affects the chemical composition of tobacco, with different methods producing varying levels of sugar and nicotine content.
Tolerance
Other nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonists
Harm Potential
Addiction & Dependence
Psychological
Extremely HighNicotine is one of the most addictive substances known, scoring almost as highly as opioids in drug effect preference questionnaires.11 It produces conditioned place preference and strong psychological reinforcement, with users typically developing dependence.12 The presence of MAO inhibitors in tobacco enhances dopamine release and may contribute to its exceptionally high addictive potential.11
Physical
Extremely HighUsers typically develop tolerance and physical dependence with regular use.13 Nicotine dependence is characterized by compulsive use despite awareness of severe health consequences.11
Toxicity
Acute nicotine poisoning (green tobacco sickness) occurs through dermal absorption when handling wet tobacco leaves, causing nausea, vomiting, and dizziness.14 Children handling tobacco leaves can be exposed to nicotine levels equivalent to smoking 50 cigarettes through skin contact alone.
Chronic tobacco smoking causes severe lung diseases including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (emphysema) and lung cancer; these conditions develop over years of regular use and are the primary causes of tobacco-related mortality.15
Tobacco smoking is a major risk factor for heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular diseases; these risks develop with chronic use and account for a substantial portion of tobacco-related deaths.18
Nicotine is a potent neurotoxin; exposure during childhood brain development can permanently alter brain structure and function.19
Tobacco use is identified as a risk factor for liver diseases with chronic use.20
Chronic tobacco use causes cancers of the mouth, larynx, and pancreas.15
Chronic tobacco use is associated with bladder cancer.15
Tobacco is a confirmed human carcinogen causing cancers of the lungs, larynx, mouth, pancreas, and bladder.15 Tobacco smoke contains thousands of toxic chemicals including proven carcinogens.15 The radioactive contaminant polonium-210 accumulates in lung tissue over time, with one study estimating radiation from 25 years of smoking would cause over 120 deaths per thousand smokers.21
History & Culture
Etymology
The English word "tobacco" originates from the Spanish "tabaco." The precise origin remains disputed, but it is generally thought to have derived, at least in part, from Taíno, the Arawakan language of the Caribbean. In Taíno, the word was said to mean either a roll of tobacco leaves or referred to…
Legality
By Country
References
Citations
- National Cancer Institute. (n.d.). Harms of Cigarette Smoking and Health Benefits of Quitting. National Cancer Institute. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/tobacco/cessation-fact-sheet12
- Robert West. (2017). Tobacco smoking: Health impact, prevalence, correlates and interventions. 32(8), 1018-1036. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2017.132589012
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2010). How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease: The Biology and Behavioral Basis for Smoking-Attributable Disease — A Report of the Surgeon General. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK53009/1
- Neal L Benowitz. (2009). Pharmacology of Nicotine: Addiction, Smoking-Induced Disease, and Therapeutics. Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 49, 57-71. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.pharmtox.48.113006.0947421234
- Ashraf Khalil, M Anne Steyn, & Neal Castagnoli Jr. (2000). Isolation and Characterization of a Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor from Tobacco Leaves. Chemical Research in Toxicology, 13(1), 31-35. https://doi.org/10.1021/tx990146f12
- Tomas Herraiz, & Carolina Chaparro. (2005). Human monoamine oxidase is inhibited by tobacco smoke: beta-carboline alkaloids act as potent and reversible inhibitors. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrc.2004.11.0331
- Ilana Berlowitz, Klemens Egger, & Paul Cumming. (2022). Monoamine Oxidase Inhibition by Plant-Derived β-Carbolines; Implications for the Psychopharmacology of Tobacco and Ayahuasca. Frontiers in Pharmacology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2022.8864081
- Ron C. Hogg. (2016). Contribution of Monoamine Oxidase Inhibition to Tobacco Dependence: A Review of the Evidence. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 18(5), 509-523. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntv2451
- Alan F Sved, Jillian J Weeks, Anthony A Grace, Tracy T Smith, & Eric C Donny. (2022). Monoamine oxidase inhibition in cigarette smokers: From preclinical studies to tobacco product regulation. Frontiers in Neuroscience. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2022.8864961
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US), & Office on Smoking and Health (US). (2010). How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease: The Biology and Behavioral Basis for Smoking-Attributable Disease. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK53018/1
- National Institute on Drug Abuse. (n.d.). Is nicotine addictive?. NIDA. https://nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/tobacco-nicotine-e-cigarettes/nicotine-addictive123
- (2015). Behavioral Mechanisms Underlying Nicotine Reinforcement. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4536896/1
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2014). Nicotine — The Health Consequences of Smoking—50 Years of Progress: A Report of the Surgeon General. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK294308/1
- Mena KD, & Gerba CP. (2018). Green Tobacco Sickness: A Brief Review. Reviews on Environmental Health. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5868082/1
- CDC. (n.d.). Health Effects of Cigarettes: Cancer. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/about/cigarettes-and-cancer.html12345
- National Cancer Institute. (2010). Table 5.1, IARC evaluations of carcinogens in mainstream cigarette smoke — How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease. National Cancer Institute. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK53010/table/ch5.t1/123
- CDC. (n.d.). Health Problems Caused by Secondhand Smoke. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/secondhand-smoke/health.html12
- CDC. (n.d.). Health Effects of Cigarettes: Cardiovascular Disease. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/about/cigarettes-and-cardiovascular-disease.html12
- (2023). Nicotine on the developing brain. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10392865/12
- (2021). Smoking and Liver Disease. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8132692/1
- Zagà V, Lygidakis C, Chaouachi K, & Gattavecchia E. (2011). Polonium and Lung Cancer. Journal of Oncology. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3136189/12
- (n.d.). Bonsack machine. Encyclopaedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/technology/Bonsack-machine1
- (n.d.). Doctrine and Covenants 89 (Word of Wisdom). The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/89?lang=eng1
- (n.d.). Sikhs and Smoking. https://www.sikhs.org/art9.htm1
- (n.d.). Selling tobacco in the Netherlands. Business.gov.nl. https://business.gov.nl/regulations/sales-tobacco/1
- (2014). Directive 2014/40/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council (Tobacco Products Directive), Article 17. Tobacco Tactics / EUR-Lex. https://www.tobaccotactics.org/article/snus-eu-ban-on-snus-sales/1
- (n.d.). Sweden Legal Summary – Tobacco Control Laws. Tobacco Control Laws. https://www.tobaccocontrollaws.org/legislation/sweden1
- (n.d.). Thailand Legal Summary – Tobacco Control Laws. Tobacco Control Laws. https://www.tobaccocontrollaws.org/legislation/thailand1
- (2016). Psychoactive Substances Act 2016, Schedule 1 – Exempted Substances. legislation.gov.uk. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2016/2/schedule/11
- (2016). The Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016. legislation.gov.uk. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2016/5071
- (n.d.). 21 U.S. Code § 387a – FDA authority over tobacco products. Legal Information Institute / Cornell Law. https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/21/387a1
Automated synthesisInformation aggregated and synthesized using an autonomous workflow built by Josie Kins.
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