SMOKELESS TOBACCO

Whether you call it chewing tobacco, snuff, quid, chaw, plug, or spit tobacco, all forms of smokeless tobacco are still tobacco. Smokeless tobacco is addictive and contains nicotine and other toxic substances. Its use may cause these problems:

increased heart rate
narrowed blood vessels
bad breath and stained teeth
disease of the tissues around the teeth and
cancer of the mouth, cheeks, or gums

The types of chewing tobacco include regular chewing tobacco and snuff. Chewing tobacco is leaf tobacco that is placed between the cheek and teeth. Snuff is finely ground and is placed between the cheeks and gums.

TV, billboard, and magazine ads promote smokeless tobacco as safe and socially acceptable. Smokeless tobacco is far from safe. Chewing tobacco causes cancer of the mouth, cheeks, or gums. This cancer can develop in tobacco chewers of any age.

Smokeless tobacco, like cigarettes, can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. All smokeless tobaccos increase the user's heart rate and blood pressure. Smokeless tobacco is not a safe alternative to smoking cigarettes!

While only a small percentage of adults use smokeless tobacco, a larger percentage of high school boys and some high school girls use it. Young smokeless tobacco users are more likely to start smoking cigarettes, making it even more likely that their health will be harmed.

For more information about the health risks of smokeless tobacco and smoking, contact your local chapter of the American Cancer Society or the American Lung Association, or visit their websites at www.cancer.org and www.lungusa.org.

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

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