Tobacco

Tobacco was the leaves produced by the Nicotiana plant genus. These leaves were often dried and smoked to produce a subtle psychoactive effect typically characterized by a calm sensation and, in some, a head rush. Dried tobacco could be rolled in paper (or larger tobacco leaves) as cigarettes and cigars or smoked in pipes that were traditionally made of treated wood. Tobacco leaves were also often used to roll cannabis cigarettes.

Commercial tobacco was often produced with a number of preservatives and other chemicals, which could result in diseases such as bronchitis or cancer when heavily used for prolonged periods.

History
Human tobacco use dates back to 16,000 BBY though its origin is unknown. On several occasions over the millennia, the tobacco industry dominated galactic trade and tobacco was found on nearly every Republic/Imperial world. The Hutt Cartel and many Mandalorian clans also participated in tobacco production. During the Imperial era, the Galactic Empire nationalized the tobacco industry and illegalized the private trade of tobacco products, instead creating a sort of "tobacco welfare" system in which cigarettes were rationed and distributed to certain Imperial populations. As a result, tobacco became popular in black markets across the galaxy.