Tobacco

The term tobacco refers to plants of the genus Nicotiana, which may be consumed in various ways. Because cigarette smoking is the predominant method of tobacco consumption in the United States, in public health the term tobacco use is often used as a synonym for cigarette smoking without consideration of the different modes of tobacco consumption and differing health risks posed by them. This entry describes the health risks associated with cigarette smoking, other tobacco smoking, and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and contrasts these to the effect of nicotine in itself and to the use of smokeless tobacco (σT). It also explores the importance of tobacco research in the history of epidemiology and the potential of epidemiological studies in reducing the health impacts of smoking.

Tobacco ...