According to tendencies in modern cigarette production to make a high quality cigarette, the researches described in the paper indicate the justification of a completely professional approach to tobacco cultivation, to produce tobacco of optimal physical, chemical and tasting characteristics. The growing and development of experimentally cultivated tobacco plants (Burley) were observed at three different localities in Istria in 1985, 86 and 1988/90, influenced by additional amounts of zinc, lead and cadmium. Zinc, lead and cadmium are also determined in Virginia, Burley and Oriental types of tobacco of different geographic origin, crop '88 and crop '89, taken from the storehouse of the Tobacco Factory in Rovinj. The following methods are used for determination of zinc, lead and cadmium in soil and tobacco : AES-IPC with inductively coupled-plasma and AAS (neutron activation analysis). The accuracy of results was tested on different standard referent materials. The l arger portions of zinc, lead and cadmium in tobacco leaves were caused by the addition of the heavy metals to tobacco plants through soil. The largest amounts were found in lower leaves and the smallest in stems, depending on quantity, quality and chemical form of the added element, soil and plant characteristics as well as climate conditions during the period of the tobacco curing and development. The analyses of the tobacco from the storehouse used for cigarette production in 1989 and 1990 show that the lowest level of zinc and lead is found in Virginia tobacco, the highest in Oriental tobacco, while the lowest cadmium level is determined in Virginia, the highest in Burley. The results of the research could represent a considerable contribution in the field of tobacco production.