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Letter From the Director
Tobacco use kills approximately
440,000 Americans each year, with
one in every five U.S. deaths the result
of smoking. Smoking harms nearly
every organ in the body, causes many
diseases, and compromises smokers'
health in general. Nicotine, a component
of tobacco, is the primary reason
that tobacco is addictive, although
cigarette smoke contains many other
dangerous chemicals, including tar,
carbon monoxide, acetaldehyde,
nitrosamines, and more.
An improved overall understanding
of addiction and of nicotine as an
addictive drug has been instrumental
in developing medications and
behavioral treatments for tobacco
addiction. For example, the nicotine
patch and gum, now readily available
at drugstores and supermarkets
nationwide, have proven effective for
smoking cessation when combined
with behavioral therapy.
Advanced neuroimaging technologies
make it possible for researchers
to observe changes in brain function
that result from smoking tobacco.
Researchers are now also identifying
genes that predispose people to
tobacco addiction and predict their
response to smoking cessation treatments.
These findings—and many
other recent research accomplishments—present
unique opportunities
to discover, develop, and disseminate
new treatments for tobacco addiction,
as well as scientifically based prevention
programs to help curtail the
public health burden that tobacco
use represents.
We hope this Research Report will
help readers understand the harmful
effects of tobacco use and identify
best practices for the prevention and
treatment of tobacco addiction.
Nora D. Volkow, M.D.
Director
National Institute on Drug Abuse
Printed 2009
This report is also for download,
Tobacco Addiction, [PDF format, 3.6 MB]
All materials appearing in the Research Report Series are in the public domain and may be reproduced without permission from NIDA. Citation of the source is appreciated.
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To learn more about drug use disorders and other mental illnesses, or to order materials on these topics free of charge in English or Spanish, visit the NIDA Web site at www.drugabuse.gov or contact the
DrugPubs Research Dissemination Center at
877-NIDA-NIH (877-643-2644;
TTY/TDD: 240-645-0228).
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