The practice of purposely using tobacco for its perceived physical and psychological benefits—for example, mental alertness, relaxation, weight control. Repeated use often leads to addiction. Product may be taken in to the body by inhaling the smoke from burning tobacco or by chewing a variety of smokeless tobacco products. Tobacco use is linked to diseases occurring in nearly every system in the human body, including but not limited to cancer, emphysema, hypertension, sudden death syndrome (SIDS), and osteoporosis.

Tobacco use. (Daniel/Harfst, 2002)

Mosby's Dental Dictionary. Copyright © 2004 by Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved.