Smokeless tobacco does not make the headlines very often these days, but the health risks remain high for users. While many people believe it is less dangerous than using cigarettes, the risk of cancer and other diseases is still present.
There are multiple forms of smokeless tobacco products. Chewing, oral or spit tobacco is loose, dried, tobacco that is chewed or sucked until juices build up and the users spit them out. The nicotine in the tobacco is absorbed through the lining of the mouth. Marketed as a more discreet tobacco product, moist snuff is finely ground tobacco that is designed to be “spit-free.” Dry snuff is powdered tobacco that users sniff or inhale.
So how do smokeless products impact your health? According to Cancer.org, people who use these products get about the same amount of nicotine as cigarette smokers and are exposed to at least 30 cancer causing chemicals. Studies show high rates of leukoplakia, or precancerous patches, in the mouth where the dip and chew is placed. Cancers linked to smokeless tobacco use include pancreatic cancer, mouth, tongue, cheek and gum cancer, and esophagus cancer. Besides causing bad breath and yellow teeth, smokeless tobacco can also irritate or damage gum tissue. Additional health effects include an increased risk of heart attack and stroke, heart disease and high blood pressure, and an increased risk of early delivery and stillbirth when used during pregnancy. There is another risk in that tobacco exposure to children and pets has led to poisonings and even death.
Dissolvable tobacco includes flavored and sweetened nicotine products such as lozenges, strips and toothpick-sized sticks. These products are chewed or sucked until they dissolve, then the juices are swallowed. Less is known about the health impacts of dissolvable tobacco, however it is clear that they, along with the other smokeless tobacco products, can cause addiction and a life-long tobacco habit. Make sure you include smokeless tobacco in your conversations with your children about drugs and alcohol!
