The recently elucidated 2'-hydroxylation pathway of nicotine--an addictive drug found in tobacco products--adds further evidence that cigarettes can be detrimental to human health. Although nicotine itself does not cause cancer, the products of nicotine metabolism are highly carcinogenic, especially to lung tissue. The following investigation highlights nicotine metabolism, explaining the biochemical pathways and examining the implications upon human health, science, and society as a whole.