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Smokeless Tobacco - RCJ
On the 3rd Thursday of this month, millions of Americans
will attempt to go smoke free for just one day. The American
Cancer Society organized the first Great American Smokeout
in 1977 and since that time, the focus has evolved from
helping adults quit smoking to helping children and
teenagers understand the dangers of smoking.
Unfortunately, South Dakota ranks among the highest in
the nation in tobacco use. We hear on a daily basis the
reasons why we should stop smoking or stop surrounding
ourselves with people who smoke. What about smokeless
tobacco? Is it a safe alternative to cigarettes?
Many athletes, especially baseball players, use smokeless
tobacco. Just because these athletes use it does not mean
that it is safe. That is what the tobacco companies want you
to believe. The bottom line---smokeless tobacco is just as
addictive because of the amount of nicotine it contains is
greater than in a cigarette.
The use of smokeless tobacco
has almost tripled since 1972 and according to a 1997
National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 92 percent of users
are male. Moreover, the same survey found that 2 percent of
young people ages 12 to 17 used smokeless tobacco in the
past month. Most disturbing is the fact that a third of the
12 million Americans who use smokeless tobacco are under 21
years old.
There are two types of
smokeless tobacco—snuff and chewing tobacco. Snuff is
tobacco that is finely ground and is placed between the
cheek and gum. Chewing tobacco is available in loose leaf
and is also place inside the cheek.
Unlike smoking—which raises concerns
over the dangers of second-hand smoke—smokeless tobacco is
still largely considered only to be unsightly and not a
threat. Most people in the general public think it is a
safe alternative to smoking. The fact is that smokeless
tobacco products contain larger amounts of cancer-causing
chemicals (nitrosamines) than those found in cigarettes.
These chemicals are absorbed through the mouth and stomach
and stay in the bloodstream longer.
It contains 10 times the amount of nitrosamines found in
cigarettes. It has more than 100 times the amount
considered safe by the FDA in other products such as bacon,
beer and other foods.
Other cancer-causing substances include
formaldehyde, arsenic, nickel cadmium, benzopyrene and
polonium (which gives off radiation).
Smokeless tobacco users increase their
risks of cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx (throat),
larynx, and esophagus. Oral cancer can include cancer of the
lip, tongue, cheeks, gums, and the floor and roof of the
mouth. More than 90% of cancers of the mouth (oral cavity)
are directly linked to all forms of tobacco including
cigarette, cigar, and pipe tobacco as well as chewing
tobacco. Of the estimated 25,000 new cases of oral cancer
diagnosed in the US each year, more than 9,000 die.
Some of the other effects of smokeless tobacco include
addiction to nicotine, oral leukoplakia (white mouth lesions
that can become cancerous), gum disease, gum recession (when
the gum pulls away from the teeth), loss of bone in the jaw,
tooth decay, tooth loss, tooth abrasion (worn spots on the
teeth), yellowing of teeth, chronic bad breath, high blood
pressure, and increased risk for cardiovascular (heart)
disease.
Nicotine is the chief addictive
component in smokeless tobacco. The amount of nicotine
absorbed can be 2 to 3 times higher then the amount
delivered by a cigarette. Chewing tobacco, therefore, has
the same negative effects on the body as smoking. It is
absorbed more slowly from smokeless tobacco but stays in the
blood stream for a longer time than when inhaled through a
cigarette.
Your doctor or dentist can be
a great source of information about the health risk of
smokeless tobacco and about quitting. Most physicians are
well aware of the health risk of smoking and chewing
tobacco. The aids we use to help smokers quit this deadly
addiction (nicotine patch, gum or nasal spray) can be used
to replace the nicotine otherwise obtained from chewing
tobacco. A non-nicotine aid in the form of a pill called
bupropion (Zyban) can help “chewers” diminish some of the
side effects of withdrawal from nicotine such as
irritability and restlessness.
People can quit chewing on
their own. If you chew, and miss having something in your
mouth, there are safer alternatives like an all mint chew or
pouch. It will allow you to continue the behavior but
without the danger of tobacco. If you quit and then feel the
need to relapse, you can once again use the mint flavored
chew (Mint Snuff) until the urge passes. Some chewers who
have strong nicotine withdrawal find it helpful to mix Mint
Snuff with their tobacco. Some mix it with tobacco in a
ratio of 1:4 for the first week, 1:3 the following week, 1:2
the next, 1:1 afterwards and finally to straight Mint Snuff.
Just remember, it does not take a lot to become
addicted. Smokeless tobacco contains very high levels of
nicotine just like cigarettes do. And, like smoking,
“kicking the dipping habit” can be very difficult.Content
of articles can only be used with writer attribution to Dr.
Kevin Weiland.
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