From a toxicological point of view, tobacco specific nitrosamines (TSNA) represent a risk group of tobacco smoke components and, consequently, will be within the scope of research for many years. Knowing TSNA content in tobacco material is a basic starting point for all technological methods aimed at reducing TSNA content in tobacco. In this paper, an outline will be given on the tests carried out on different tobacco types from various geographical origins to determine TSNA content [4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK), N'-nitrosonornicotine (NNN), N'-nitrosoanatabine (NAT), N'-nitrosoanabasine (NAB)]. Flue-cured, Burley, and Oriental tobaccos were tested, and also tobacco stem and reconstituted tobacco. Similarly, TSNAs were determined in tobacco and smoke (TPM) of cigarettes manufactured in Croatia and in some cigarettes from EU markets. Test results suggest that the content of total TSNA in tobaccos range from 0-8 ppm. Both flue-cured and Burley tobaccos, and cigarette tobacco blends produced in Croatia were found to contain, on average, up to half the content of TSNA found in tobaccos and cigarettes from other geographical areas. The TSNA content of cigarettes containing 60% or more Croatian tobacco was also found to be significantly lower in comparison to the TSNA content of cigarettes containing tobacco originating from other geographical regions. Therefore TSNA content in the cigarette smoke of blended cigarettes made mostly from Croatian tobaccos (60% or more) is lower than in the smoke of cigarettes with a comparable design.