The use of tobacco presents a significant public health burden worldwide, contributing to both morbidity and mortality. Tobacco is harmful in all its forms, including smoking as well as smokeless tobacco products, and is most prevalent in low- and middle-income countries, exacerbating the already vast health inequities in these locations. Recent research has demonstrated that there is an association between tobacco use and various gastrointestinal (GI) diseases; however, this area is not well-explored yet. Cigarette smoking is an established risk factor for various gastrointestinal disorders such as peptic ulcer, Crohn’s disease, and several cancers. The nicotine present in tobacco may contribute to the pathogenesis of these disorders through mechanisms such as mucosal damage and impaired repair, altered gut irrigation and immune response, and mutagenic effects. Interestingly, smoking has been found to be a protective factor for the development and progression of ulcerative colitis. Other carcinogenic and mutagenic compounds within tobacco products, particularly those which are poorly regulated such as smokeless tobacco, also induce the production of reactive oxygen species, causing oxidative stress and tissue damage.

This research topic aims to explore the association between tobacco use and disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, aiming to identify areas of focus for future public health policies, interventions, and inform health practitioners to support evidence-based practice and advice for patients based on the latest research and innovations.

To gather further insights into the complex relationship between tobacco use and gastrointestinal diseases, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

● The role of smoking and smokeless tobacco use as a risk factor or protective factor for GI disease.
● Tobacco as a disease-altering agent in GI disease, particularly autoimmune disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease.
● Differences in effects of different forms of tobacco use (e.g. chewing tobacco, Swedish Snuff, cigarette smoking, water pipe, etc.) on GI disorders.
● The influence of tobacco in pathogenesis, disease course and barriers to management of peptic ulcer disease and gastritis.
● The role of tobacco in malignancies of the GI tract, including upper aero-digestive tract to rectal cancer.
● Tobacco-based interventions for GI disorders.
● Exploration of nicotine-vaping, secondhand smoke effects, and basic science translatable smoking animal models in the context of GI diseases.
● Focus areas for health policy and advocacy related to tobacco use, facilitating improved patient education and outcomes.

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Frontiers in Public Health

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