Tobacco has been an agricultural staple from the time of the first recorded European encounter with the plant in the fifteenth century. The pervasive nature of its cultivation and consumption has made tobacco one of the most profitable crops in world agricultural history. This case study examines the role of tobacco in the global marketplace with a primary emphasis on the U.S. tobacco industry. Parts II and III set out the pedagogical purpose, teaching objectives, and methods of classroom delivery. Part IV is the case study that is provided to the students. First, the case study examines U.S. government regulation of tobacco products through federal statutes and litigation. Next, it describes the participation of U.S. tobacco companies in the international marketplace with particular emphasis on exports and profitability. The final portion of the case study discusses the economic and health consequences of smoking with specific emphasis on the consequences for the developing world in general and poor populations in particular. These factual sections are followed in Part V by questions addressing stakeholders, the application of ethical theories, and summaries of classroom discussions that have occurred in the author's courses where the case study has been utilized. (Contains 123 footnotes.)