Tobacco addictions

The consumption of tobacco may have pleasurable, psychotropic and toxic eff ects. Pleasure may arise simply from handling a cigarette or pipe, but firs t of all it is a substantial effect of nicotine which can be both stimulati ng and sedative. Nicotine itself is most probably not toxic but induces dep endence and thereby increases the intake of the various toxic components of tobacco, particularly carbon monoxide, cyano-hydrogen and compounds of tar . Health damages provoked by tobacco consumption often have a late onset an d may be denied for along time. These characteristics are specific for toba cco. Smoking tobacco is presumably the most important problem in the field of addiction, at least as important as alcoholism and by far more important than the consumption of illegal drugs. - Today the best therapy is behavio r therapy combined with transdermal substitution of nicotine (nicotine patc hes), which may have long-term effects in about a third of those persons wh o seek therapeutic help. Prevention and the protection of nonsmokers are st ill to a large extent unsolved problems. - Problems concerning public healt h, economic and financial policies are discussed. - Concerning the fight ag ainst tobacco abuse Germany has a backward position in an international per spective.