Smokeless Tobacco Abuse
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- Snuff is a finely ground or shredded tobacco that is either sniffed
through the nose or placed between the cheek and gum. Chewing tobacco
is used by putting a wad of tobacco inside the cheek.
- Chewing tobacco and snuff contain 28 cancer-causing agents.
- Smokeless tobacco users have an increased risk of developing cancer
of the oral cavity.
- Several national organizations offer information about the health
risks of smokeless tobacco and how to quit.
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There are two types of smokeless tobacco—snuff and chewing tobacco.
Snuff, a finely ground or shredded tobacco, is packaged as dry, moist,
or in sachets (tea bag-like pouches). Typically, the user places a pinch or
dip between the cheek and gum.
Chewing tobacco is available in loose
leaf, plug (plug-firm and plug-moist), or twist forms, with the user putting
a wad of tobacco inside the cheek. Smokeless tobacco is sometimes called “spit”
or “spitting” tobacco because people spit out the tobacco juices
and saliva that build up in the mouth.
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Chewing tobacco and snuff contain 28 carcinogens (cancer-causing agents).
The most harmful carcinogens in smokeless tobacco are the tobacco-specific
nitrosamines (TSNAs). They are formed during the growing, curing, fermenting,
and aging of tobacco. TSNAs have been detected in some smokeless tobacco
products at levels many times higher than levels of other types of nitrosamines
that are allowed in foods, such as bacon and beer.
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Other cancer-causing substances in smokeless tobacco include N-nitrosamino
acids, volatile N-nitrosamines, benzo(a)pyrene, volatile aldehydes,
formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, crotonaldehyde, hydrazine, arsenic, nickel,
cadmium, benzopyrene, and polonium–210.
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All tobacco, including smokeless tobacco, contains nicotine, which
is addictive. The amount of nicotine absorbed from smokeless tobacco
is 3 to 4 times the amount delivered by a cigarette. Nicotine is absorbed
more slowly from smokeless tobacco than from cigarettes, but more
nicotine per dose is absorbed from smokeless tobacco than from cigarettes.
Also, the nicotine stays in the bloodstream for a longer time.
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Smokeless tobacco users increase their risk for cancer of the oral
cavity. Oral cancer can include cancer of the lip, tongue, cheeks,
gums, and the floor and roof of the mouth.
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People who use oral snuff for a long time have a much greater risk
for cancer of the cheek and gum than people who do not use smokeless
tobacco.
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The possible increased risk for other types of cancer from smokeless
tobacco is being studied.
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Some of the other effects of smokeless tobacco use include addiction to nicotine,
oral leukoplakia (white mouth lesions that can become cancerous), gum disease,
and gum recession (when the gum pulls away from the teeth). Possible increased
risks for heart disease, diabetes, and reproductive problems are being studied.
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In 1986, the Surgeon General concluded that the use of smokeless tobacco “is
not a safe substitute for smoking cigarettes. It can cause cancer and a number
of noncancerous conditions and can lead to nicotine addiction and dependence.”
Since 1991, NCI has officially recommended that the public avoid and discontinue
the use of all tobacco products, including smokeless tobacco. NCI also recognizes
that nitrosamines, found in tobacco products, are not safe at any level. The
accumulated scientific evidence does not support changing this position.
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Because all tobacco use causes disease and addiction, NCI recommends that tobacco
use be avoided and discontinued. Several non-tobacco methods have been shown
to be effective for quitting cigarettes. These methods include pharmacotherapies
such as nicotine replacement therapy and bupropion SR, individual and group
counseling, and telephone quitlines.
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In the United States, the 2000 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse,
which was conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration, reported the following statistics:
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An estimated 7.6 million Americans age 12 and older (3.4 percent)
had used smokeless tobacco in the past month.
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Smokeless tobacco use was most common among young adults ages 18
to 25.
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Men were 10 times more likely than women to report using smokeless
tobacco (6.5 percent of men age 12 and older compared with 0.5 percent
of women).
People in many other countries and regions, including India, parts of
Africa, and some Central Asian countries, have a long history of using
smokeless tobacco products.
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National Oral
Health Information Clearinghouse
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
The
Office on Smoking and Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Spit Tobacco
Education Program Oral Health America
American Cancer Society
American Academy of
Family Physicians
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A person’s dentist or doctor can be a good source of information
about the health risks of smokeless tobacco and about quitting. Friends,
family members, teachers, and coaches can help a person quit smokeless
tobacco use by giving them support and encouragement.
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Aging & Substance Abuse
