Review contrasts hemp’s promise with tobacco’s enduring health risks

Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) and tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) are two crops with long and important histories in human societies. This review aims to compare industrial hemp and tobacco from traditional uses to modern applications, focusing on bioactive compounds, health implications, and socio-economic and environmental aspects. Industrial hemp has traditionally been used for fibre, textiles, and paper and is now increasingly recognized as a multifunctional crop for food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, construction materials, and other bio-based industries. Tobacco, in contrast, has developed mainly as a commercial leaf crop and remains strongly associated with nicotine dependence and major public health concerns. Industrial hemp contains cannabinols, terpenes and antioxidant phenolics. These substances support hemp's growing use in food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, construction materials, and other bio-based industries. In contrast, tobacco is dominated by alkaloids, especially nicotine, along with related compounds such as nornicotine and anatabine. Because of this, research on tobacco is mostly focused on addiction, toxic constituents, and major public health risks, while hemp research increasingly highlights potential biological activities and industrial benefits. However, hemp products still require strict quality control due to variability and the risk of THC contamination. Regulatory frameworks reflect these differences: tobacco products are tightly controlled globally due to proven health harms, while restrictions on industrial hemp cultivation have been gradually relaxing in many regions. Generally, the review shows two contrasting development paths-industrial hemp is increasingly positioned as a sustainable resource for the bioeconomy, whereas tobacco continues to raise serious health, environmental, and regulatory challenges.