Welcome to Tobacco Research

Part of the University of California, San Francisco's Division of Clinical Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics, our research focuses on the human pharmacology of nicotine and other drugs with the goal of improving public health and potentially helping millions of people.

The Tobacco Research Center has been studying the questions related to the safety of reduced nicotine cigarettes, low tar cigarettes, safety of medications used to treat nicotine addiction, smoking and heart disease, smokeless tobacco, electronic nicotine delivery systems (e-cigarettes), and the genetics of nicotine addiction.

Why is Tobacco Research important?

Cigarette smoking and tobacco use is a leading preventable cause of premature death and disease worldwide. More than 5 million people die each year due to tobacco-related illnesses. We know that most smokers want to quit, but only 5% actually succeed each year. And every day, more than 2,000 youths under the age of 18 smoke their first cigarette.¹

Why does this happen?

Nicotine is very addictive and takes away the choice of being able to quit or not. Nicotine also leads to young adults and kids, who try smoking - even just one time - to become addicted.

Our primary mission is to learn more about the effects of smoking and tobacco with the goal of improving public health.

¹https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/health_effects/effects_cig_smoking/index.htm