Tobakks

Tobakks refers to products and materials derived from the tobacco plant, primarily Nicotiana tabacum and related species, which are used for human consumption. The term encompasses raw cured leaves as well as manufactured products and preparations, including cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, chewing tobacco, snuff, snus, and some smokeless or heated tobacco products.

Leaf processing begins with harvest and curing, methods that influence flavor and nicotine content. Common curing methods include air-curing, flue-curing, and sun-curing, followed by aging, blending, and, for some products, flavoring and cutting of the leaf into usable forms.

Tobacco cultivation requires warm climates, well-drained soil, and careful agronomic practices. Major producing regions include parts of Asia, the Americas, and Africa. The tobacco industry includes large multinational companies and regional producers, with markets heavily regulated to various degrees.

Historically, tobacco was cultivated by Indigenous peoples in the Americas before European contact and was introduced to Europe and other regions in the early modern period, where demand grew into a global industry. Over the 19th and 20th centuries, tobacco became a major economic commodity, shaping trade, agriculture, and public health policy. Today, products range from traditional combustibles to non-combustible nicotine products and novel heat-not-burn offerings.

Consumption of tobacco products typically delivers nicotine, a highly addictive substance linked to diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and stroke. Public health measures in many countries restrict sales to minors, require health warnings, regulate advertising, and impose taxes. Policies also address secondhand smoke exposure and aim to reduce smoking in public spaces, while ongoing research continues to assess risk, harm reduction, and the effects of alternative products.