[Damage factors in tobacco and tobacco smoke]

In the last 30 years the production and consumption of cigarettes are increasing permanently. Till now more than 2200 noxious substances have been detected in the smoke of cigarettes. The origin and the synthesis of selected groups of these compounds and their distribution on main- and on sidestream smoke are described, furthermore the possibilities for estimation and control of nicotine abuse are reviewed. The incorporation of noxious substances of tobacco smoke result in a damage of clearance mechanisms of the lung and a change of loading by drugs and other metabolisable noxious substances, because the biotransformation processes are influenced by tobacco smoke. In this connection the importance of aryl-hydrocarbon-hydroxylase is discussed.