1,2Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Motherhood University, Roorkee, Haridwar, India-247661
3,4,5Kingston Imperial Institute of Technology and Sciences Dehradun, Dunga Rd, Manduwala, Kanswali, Kodari, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248007.
In terms of medicine, the economy, and culture, tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) continues to be one of the most controversial yet significant crops in the world. This review explores the complete trajectory of tobacco, from its botanical and chemical profile to its public health implications and evolving industrial applications. With over 7 million deaths per year and a significant impact on world poverty and healthcare costs, tobacco smoking is a major contributor to avoidable illnesses and deaths despite its ubiquitous usage. The fact that almost 80% of tobacco smokers live in countries with low or middle incomes exacerbates socioeconomic disparity. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) have implemented comprehensive measures, including taxation, cessation support, advertising bans, and MPOWER strategies to curb tobacco consumption. Nevertheless, new products like heated tobacco and e-cigarettes are introducing fresh public health concerns, especially among youth. Tobacco is the focus of much research due to its abundance of bioactive chemicals, including nicotine, solanesol, flavonoids, and alkaloids. While traditionally associated with smoking, tobacco and its derivatives are now being harnessed in biotechnological, agricultural, energy, and pharmaceutical domains. Advancements in genetic engineering and TRV-mediated VIGS systems have positioned tobacco as a viable plant bioreactor for protein and vaccine production. Additionally, its processing waste—once deemed hazardous—is being valorized through sustainable reuse strategies to produce biofuels, enzymes, compost, and biopesticides. The document also traces the historical and cultural journey of tobacco, from its sacred ritualistic roots among Indigenous peoples to its global spread and industrialization. In India and other regions, smokeless tobacco continues to be deeply embedded in cultural practices despite associated health risks. By integrating historical, scientific, public health, and economic perspectives, this review emphasizes the dual nature of tobacco—as both a global health crisis and a resourceful bio-industrial material—warranting careful regulation and innovative utilization.
The tobacco a global epidemic is one of the biggest public health crises the world has ever witnessed, resulting in chronic tobacco-related diseases, disability, and almost 7 million deaths annually. There is no safe amount of tobacco exposure, and all types of tobacco usage are detrimental. Around the world, smoking cigarettes is the most popular way to consume tobacco. Cigars, cigarillos, roll-your-own tobacco, pipe tobacco, bidis and kreteks, smokeless tobacco, waterpipes, and other tobacco products are also available. Approximately 80% of the 1.3 billion tobacco users worldwide live-in countries with low or middle incomes, which are disproportionately affected by the illness and death burden of tobacco use. Because tobacco smoking drains household funds that could be utilized for necessities like food and housing, it exacerbates poverty. Because tobacco is so addicting, it is hard to stop this spending pattern. Among the major economic impacts of tobacco use are the high expense of treating the illnesses caused by tobacco use and the lost human resources from tobacco-attributable illness and death.
Fig.2: Dry Tobacco
1.1 ???? Key Strategies to Combat Tobacco Use
???? Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs)
???? E-Cigarettes / ENDS & ENNDS
???? Nicotine Pouches
1.3 WHO's reaction
The objectives of the tobacco business and public health policy are fundamentally and irreconcilably at odds. The tobacco industry's product is addictive, causes illness and death, and leads to a number of societal evils, including greater poverty, as scientific evidence has shown. It is concerning and preventable that tobacco has such a negative impact on individuals and the economy. The tobacco business is trying to conceal the dangers of its products, but we are retaliating. The WHO FCTC marks an important milestone in the evolution of public health. Everyone's right to optimal health is reaffirmed in this evidence-based agreement, which also establishes strict compliance criteria and offers legal foundations for international health cooperation. With 182 Parties that constitute over 90% of the global population, the WHO FCTC came into effect in 2005. In order to broaden the use of the WHO FCTC's demand reduction provisions, WHO introduced MPOWER, a practical and reasonably priced initiative, in 2007.
The six MPOWER strategies: (Monitor, Protect, Offer, Warm, Enforce, Raise)
Since 2007, MPOWER activities have been observed by WHO. Please consult the WHO research on the worldwide tobacco epidemic for further information on the global, regional, and country tobacco control progress. [1-4]
Table No. 1: Global Tobacco Epidemic 2025: Who Reports [5]
|
Section |
Key Points |
|
Overview |
10th WHO reports; marks 20 years since FCTC implementation |
|
Global Coverage |
- 75% of the world's population—6.1 billion people—are now protected by at least one MPOWER tobacco control measure. |
|
MPOWER Progress |
- 155 countries implemented ≥1 measure - 107 countries implemented ≥2 - 51 countries have ≥3 measures |
|
Best-Performing Measures |
- 110 countries use graphic health warnings (62% global coverage) - 25 countries adopted plain packaging |
|
Mass Media Campaigns |
- Only 37 countries (3 billion people) implemented best-practice campaigns - Common gaps: pre-testing and outcome evaluations |
|
Taxation (Raise Prices) |
- Most effective tool but only 15% of world population protected at best-practice level |
|
Smoking Cessation Support |
- Only 31 countries at best-practice level - Covers ~33% of population |
|
Smoke-Free Environments |
- 79 countries provide full protection in public places (2.6 billion people covered) |
|
Advertising Bans (TAPS) |
- 68 countries fully implemented bans - Low- and middle-income countries show stronger adoption of MPOWER measures than high-income nations, reflecting greater urgency and commitment to tackling tobacco-related health burdens. |
|
ENDS/HTPs Regulation |
- 133 countries regulate ENDS - 42 countries ban ENDS sales - 62 countries have no ENDS laws - Weak protection for youth |
|
Key Challenges |
- 40 countries have no best-practice measure - Industry interference, lack of funding and political will |
|
Emerging Threats |
- Aggressive marketing of ENDS and flavored products to youth - Inconsistent global regulation |
|
Recommendations |
- Strengthen Article 11 (packaging/labelling) & 12 (public awareness) - Increase taxation, mass media, and cessation services investment |
|
Future Focus |
- COP11 & MOP4 to emphasize youth protection, industry accountability, and environmental impact |
Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.), a member of the Solanaceae family's genus Nicotiana, is a major economic crop and a model plant for scientific studies. Beyond the tobacco business, the creative use of tobacco plants has spurred a lot of study in recent years in a variety of fields, including food, feed, everyday chemicals, organic fertilizers, biological insecticides, polymer biomaterials, and—most importantly—medicine. Due to its therapeutic benefits, tobacco was first used by humans toward end of the fifteenth century. For Native Americans, tobacco—revered as a sacred plant and often called "God's remedy"—has traditionally been used to address a wide range of health issues. These include infectious diseases like syphilis and whooping cough, inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, bronchitis, and pleuritis, and skin disorders including dermatitis, burns, abscesses, and mosquito bites. It was also applied for respiratory problems like rhinitis and colds, digestive disturbances such as gastroenteritis and irregular bowel movements, neurological symptoms like epilepsy and migraines, and even for discoloration of the skin and ear infections like otitis.[6] It is currently believed that certain primary metabolites are also bioactive, however most bioactive chemicals are secondary metabolites that are often found in plants.They have been used to treat a variety of illnesses as well as to reduce the risk of contracting them. They play a protective role in plants against both biotic and abiotic stress. Since the amounts of bioactive compounds vary, it is crucial to increase their production to obtain the maximum amount and discover new, less expensive sources.[7]
Fig.3: Tobacco Plant Fig.4: Tobacco Flowers
Reusing and upgrading products from the plant processing industry has gained popularity in the last ten years. A significant amount of solid and liquid waste is produced by those industries, particularly the food industry. Conversely, items that are considered garbage might contain important bioactive substances that can be recovered and used in place of pricey raw materials in new products and processes.
Tobacco is one of the most widely grown crops worldwide, or Nicotiana tabacum L. Despite this, its economic, agricultural, and social importance is considerable. Many people have used it for smoking, sniffing, and chewing. There are around 600 species of tobacco known to exist, yet only two are used by people. Since the tobacco plant only takes three months to grow from seed to seeding, it is frequently used as a model plant in biotechnology to produce cell culture and genetic engineering. Furthermore, tobacco was used to create the first transgenic plants. Approximately 4000 substances, including particles and gases, are present in tobacco, and smoking releases 1000 of these substances.[8] Originating in South America and currently grown worldwide, including in the Republic of Croatia, tobacco is the world's largest producer.[9] As tobacco leaves mature, dry, ferment, process, and store, their chemical makeup changes. Climate, variety, and growing methods are some of the elements that affect this.[10] While the number of reducing sugars grows throughout the drying process, the amount of starch drops. Additionally, the proportion of carbs and polyphenols reduced during the fermentation process. [11] Many classes of molecules have been found in tobacco by numerous studies, including fatty alcohols, phytosterols, terpenoids, polyphenols, alkaloids (including nicotine), limonene, indole, pyridine, and fragrance compounds. [12] Because tobacco contains a wide range of organic compounds that might co-extract with the target substance, it can be challenging to find selective ways to extract the required chemicals from tobacco and tobacco-related materials. Therefore, there is an incentive to develop new extraction techniques for bioactive materials that are quick, easy, repeatable, affordable, and environmentally safe. A poorer extraction yield, additional solvents, heating, and a longer extraction time are all associated with traditional extraction techniques. [13]
Fig.5. An outline of the different types of tobacco-produced specialized metabolites (SM). The plant contains a variety of bioactive substances, notably phenolic compounds—such as chlorogenic acid, scopoletin, rutin, flavonols, and cembranoids—as well as alkaloids including nicotine, nornicotine, anabasine, and anatabine.[14]
The primary alkaloid in tobacco leaves, nicotine (C10H14N2), makes up around 95% of the overall alkaloid content. Its concentration ranges from 1 to 30 mg/g and is utilized in the manufacturing of cigarettes, cigars, and flake tobaccos. Tobacco products are being used by over 1.2 billion people globally, leading to nicotine addiction. Although nicotine is a highly addictive molecule, the effects of smoking cigarettes or any other smoking-related product can be disastrous since other substances are also absorbed. Although some research indicates that nicotine may contribute to cancer, it may also be one of the least carcinogenic substances included in cigarettes.[15]
Table No. 2: The table below presents the nicotine concentrations found across various tobacco sources.
|
S.NO. |
Source |
Nicotine content from different sources |
|
1 |
Insecticides |
Up to 40% |
|
2 |
Tobacco Leaf |
1-6 % per leaf |
|
3 |
Snuff-wet |
5-30 mg/gm |
|
4 |
Snuff-dry |
12-15 mg/gm |
|
5 |
Chewing Tobacco |
2-8 mg/gm |
|
6 |
Cigar |
15-40mg |
|
7 |
Cigarette |
13-19mg |
???? Cigarette smoking has been associated with an increased risk of developing cancers across multiple organs and systems—including the nose, oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, lungs, liver, stomach, kidneys, bladder, cervix, pancreas, colon, rectum, bone marrow, and blood.
Fig 6. Tobacco Products on the Market
???? Tobacco: A Cultural and Global Journey
???? Global Significance and Impact of Tobacco
???? Alternatives and Cultural Usage
Sociocultural Nicotiana attenuata (wild tobacco), Nicotiana glauca (tree tobacco), Nicotiana trigonophylla (desert tobacco) and Nicotiana longiflora (cultivated ornamental).[18]
Table No. 3: Functional Uses of Key Tobacco-Derived Compounds
|
Compound |
Applications |
|
Nicotine |
- Acts as a stimulant and cognitive enhancer. - Used in smoking cessation therapies (e.g., gums, patches). - Potential neuroprotective effects in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. - Investigated for its role in weight management and mood regulation. |
|
Solanesol |
- A precursor to the production of vitamin K analogs and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). Utilized in the pharmaceutical sector to produce medications based on ubiquinone. An intermediary in the production of anti-inflammatory and anti-hypertensive drugs. |
|
Cembranoid Diterpenes |
- Exhibits anti-cancer, neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial activities. - Potential inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), useful in neurodegenerative disease treatment. - Investigated for their ability to modulate nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). |
|
Tobacco Extracts |
- Explored for biopesticidal and anti-microbial effects in agriculture. - Utilized in the development of plant-based vaccines and biopharmaceuticals via transgenic tobacco plants. - Used in traditional medicine for topical applications and as analgesics. |
5.1 Tobacco in Biotechnology
Thanks to recent developments in genetic engineering, Nicotiana tabacum, or tobacco, is now a potent platform for the synthesis of recombinant protein therapeutics. One researcher reported that tobacco’s inherent biological characteristics—such as its ability to produce substantial biomass, its high adaptability to genetic transformation, and its ease of regeneration—make it a suitable green bioreactor for pharmaceutical applications. The plant offers a cost-effective, scalable, and safe system for expressing biologically active compounds that are vital for disease prevention and treatment. Unlike edible crop species, tobacco minimizes risks of food-chain contamination and allows for biocontainment. These qualities support rapid protein extraction and purification processes. Furthermore, transient expression systems in tobacco have been shown to yield high levels of target proteins in a relatively short time frame. This efficiency is crucial for meeting urgent public health demands while minimizing production costs. The research emphasizes the importance of promoting public awareness and encouraging further support for ongoing scientific efforts. The potential for producing affordable, plant-derived medications is significant. As such, tobacco’s growing utility in therapeutic protein synthesis could revolutionize the pharmaceutical landscape and enhance global access to essential biologics.[20]
5.1.1 Enhancing Functional Genomics with TRV-VIGS
Tobacco Rattle Virus (TRV) has been used as a viral vector in Virus-Induced Gene Silencing (VIGS) for the past 20 years, has seen significant advancements, making it one of the most promising reverse genetics tools for functional genomics in plants. TRV-based systems are widely favored in dicots and some monocots due to their broad host range and mild symptoms, enabling researchers to investigate gene functions without transgenic approaches. The emergence of high-quality genome and transcriptome data has greatly facilitated the design of precise VIGS targets—ranging from individual genes to entire gene families and miRNA mimics. Extensive modifications to the original TRV vectors have improved silencing efficiency across diverse species, while innovations in inoculation methods—such as agroinfiltration and rub-inoculation—have expanded the technology’s reach. Critical factors influencing silencing success include the choice of Agrobacterium strain, inoculum concentration, positive controls, and environmental conditions; thus, protocols continue to be optimized and adapted across plant species. The versatility of VIGS allows integration with other genetic tools, such as RNAi, overexpression systems, and mutants, enabling deeper characterization of genetic pathways. Furthermore, VIGS is finding growing utility in non-transgenic crop breeding by facilitating rapid gene function analyses related to development, metabolism, and stress resilience. A well-established VIGS system—characterized by efficient vector design, streamlined inoculation, robust controls, and simple procedural requirements—can unlock unprecedented potential for high-throughput and cost-effective research in plant biology. As updates to TRV-mediated VIGS continue, its contribution to crop improvement and functional genomics is expected to accelerate, reinforcing its place at the forefront of plant molecular research.[21]
5.1.2 Bioactive Potential and Sustainable Reuse of Tobacco Processing Waste
Tobacco is cultivated extensively across the globe, and its processing generates substantial waste that is often underutilized or improperly managed, leading to serious environmental and health concerns such as nicotine poisoning and pollution. In recent years, researchers have discovered numerous bioactive compounds in tobacco, including polyphenols and polysaccharides, which exhibit beneficial properties like anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antibacterial, and antioxidant effects. However, nornicotine remains a harmful component and must be carefully controlled to avoid adverse effects. Importantly, the health benefits of these tobacco-derived substances are closely linked to intestinal microbiota, suggesting that gut flora interactions play a key role in their functional efficacy. In addition, the choice of extraction method is critical, as it determines the yield and activity of these bioactives. Consequently, advancing extraction technologies and exploring fermentation processes are promising directions to enhance the value of tobacco waste. With thoughtful processing and innovation, tobacco by-products hold significant potential as raw materials for health-related applications.[22]
5.2 Tobacco Waste Utilization
5.2.1 Utilizing Tobacco Waste in the Energy and Chemical Sectors
Tobacco straw is rich in cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, making it a valuable lignocellulosic biomass.
Tobacco waste can be converted into:
Tobacco waste serves as a low-cost carbon source for enzyme synthesis:
Tobacco waste, once considered a pollutant, is now emerging as a valuable resource in sustainable chemistry, energy generation and biotechnology.[23]
5.2.2 Utilizing tobacco waste in farming
Tobacco waste finds significant application in agriculture, primarily as fertilizer and biopesticide. It contains essential nutrients such as phosphorus and potassium, and when composted properly, harmful components like nicotine and heavy metals can be significantly reduced. Composting tobacco waste with vegetable waste, wood chips, animal manures, or industrial effluent has shown to improve soil nutrient content, promote the growth of beneficial microorganisms like Pseudomonas, Azotobacter, and Coprinus, and enhance crop yields, such as maize. These composts meet safety standards and effectively reduce organic pollution, contributing to sustainable farming practices. Apart from fertilizer, tobacco waste may be used to make biopesticides, which are a more environmentally friendly substitute for conventional pesticides. Alkaloids and essential oils, two naturally occurring insecticidal compounds included in tobacco waste, can stop pest growth with the least amount of environmental damage. Bacillus thuringiensis, a bacterium naturally found on tobacco leaves, can be cultivated using tobacco waste and used to control pests such as the potato beetle and tobacco beetle larvae. This method provides a dual insecticidal effect by combining bacterial spore toxicity with nicotine’s natural insecticidal properties. Overall, the agricultural reuse of tobacco waste offers an eco-friendly, cost-effective solution for organic waste management and sustainable crop protection.[24]
5.2.3 Tobacco waste applications in the medical profession
Tobacco represents a complex intersection of tradition, health risk, and industrial opportunity. Although its extensive usage is still contributing to one of the worst public health emergencies, scientific and technological developments have also opened up new avenues for its positive and sustainable use. The paradox lies in its ability to harm and heal—through both toxic exposure and therapeutic applications. Its botanical richness offers a reservoir of bioactive compounds with potential applications in biotechnology, medicine, agriculture, and energy. These emerging uses underscore the importance of rethinking how tobacco is processed, regulated, and reused. The environmental and health costs of tobacco use and manufacturing are still quite high, nevertheless. Every year, millions of lives are lost, and the socioeconomic toll is particularly severe in areas that are already at risk. Regulatory frameworks such as the WHO FCTC and MPOWER have proven essential, yet enforcement gaps and the emergence of novel nicotine products like e-cigarettes and HTPs present fresh challenges. Therefore, a dual approach is necessary—strengthening public health policy and research investment while promoting responsible and innovative industrial applications of tobacco and its waste. With informed governance, technological innovation, and sustained public awareness, tobacco’s legacy can be transformed from a symbol of harm to a model of sustainable bioresource utilization.
The future of tobacco lies in reconciling its dual identity—as both a global health hazard and a promising industrial bioresource. While tobacco control will remain a public health imperative, innovative avenues are rapidly expanding its utility beyond traditional consumption. Emerging biotechnological, pharmaceutical, agricultural, and environmental applications indicate that tobacco can be repositioned as a sustainable and valuable plant system, provided its use is redirected responsibly.
An excellent choice for plant-based expression systems is tobacco due to its well-characterized genome, high biomass production, and simplicity of genetic transformation.
In the coming years, advancements in plant molecular farming could position tobacco as a global hub for producing vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, and therapeutic proteins—especially in response to pandemics or emerging diseases. Continued investment in synthetic biology, transient expression systems, and VIGS technologies will further boost its role in precision medicine and biopharmaceutical manufacturing.
The growing prevalence of heated tobacco products (HTPs), electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), and nicotine pouches is reshaping the market—necessitating a transformation in future tobacco control strategies. Strengthening regulation, especially around youth-targeted marketing, flavoring agents, and online sales, will be paramount. Scientific research will also need to keep pace with product innovation to accurately assess risks and formulate evidence-based public health responses.
REFERENCES
Sakshi Khanka*, Harsh Agarwal, Rajni Devi, Geetika Chandra, Kritika Singh, Tobacco: From Plant to Product – A Comprehensive Review, Int. J. of Pharm. Sci., 2025, Vol 3, Issue 7, 4199-4214. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16626920
10.5281/zenodo.16626920
