Chew Tobacco - Get the Facts About Chew Tobacco, Including Ingredients and Risks - Tobacco Free Colorado (2024)

Definitely Not a Safe Alternative to Smoking

Get the facts about chew, spit and dip tobacco

Some may see spit or smokeless tobacco as a less harmful alternative to smoking cigarettes. But these products are unsafe and directly linked to mouth diseases, cancers and other health risks.

Plus, they can cause nasty side effects – such as bad breath and tooth damage – from the minute you start using.

Oral tobacco products include:

  • Chew— tobacco that comes in the form of a loose leaf, plug, twist or roll. Pieces are placed between the cheek and gums and the juice is spit. Also called spit, dip or spit tobacco.1
  • Snus— pronounced “snoose,” snus is a type of moist snuff often flavored with spices or fruit and packaged like small tea bags. Snus is held between the gum and lower lip and the juice is swallowed.1
  • Snuff— finely ground tobacco, which is often flavored. Dry snuff is a powder that is sniffed or inhaled up the nose. Moist snuff is a gum-like substance sold in pouches and then placed between the lower lip or cheek and gum.1

What You Need to Know

Here’s what we do know about the varieties of chew.

Chew is not a safe substitute for cigarettes.

  • People who chew or dip ingest about the same amount of nicotine as regular smokers.2
  • Chew and other smokeless tobacco products are linked to cancer and can be deadly. These products contain a variety of potentially harmful chemicals.3
  • Because users suck on and sometimes swallow the juices, cancers and diseases of the mouth, esophagus and pancreas are common among chew users.4
  • The most harmful cancer-causing substances in smokeless tobacco aretobacco-specific nitrosamines(TSNAs), which are formed during the curing and aging of tobacco. TSNA levels vary by product, but higher levels result in greater cancer risk.3
  • Additional research is needed to examine long-term effects of newer smokeless tobacco products, such as snus.1
  • Chew and snuff are not a less harmful alternative to smoking; they are still linked to cancer and can be deadly.3

Swallowing chew can lead to nicotine poisoning.

Nicotine in any form is poisonous to children and pets. According to Poison Control, even swallowing just a small amount of chew in young people or adults can lead to nausea, vomiting, dizziness, tremors, sweating and seizures, as well as making the heart beat much faster than normal. Nicotine can poison through ingestion, skin, eye or mouth contact, so always properly store and dispose of all chew products. If you experience symptoms or suspect that a child has been exposed to nicotine or swallowed chew, immediately call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.&nbsp

Chew and snuff have not been proven to help cigarette smokers quit­­. Cessation is the best option for those looking to lead a healthier lifestyle.3

Over 10 million Americans use smokeless tobacco, including over 6 percent of high school students. The highest concentration of users is in rural areas.5

Myths about chew and similar products

Myth

Only old guys chew.

Fact

Since 1970, smokeless tobacco transitioned from being primarily used by older men to predominantly young men and boys. Almost half of chew users started before they were 18, and young men are now 50 percent more likely than older men to be regular users.2 5

Myth

Chew is not as addictive as cigarettes.

Fact

Chew and smokeless tobacco products can be just as addictive as cigarettes because all of these products contain nicotine.6

Myth

If you don’t swallow the juice from chew, it isn’t bad for you.

Fact

If you suck on tobacco of any kind, it can still harm you. Smokeless tobacco users absorb nicotine through pores in the gums, so you’ll still get the same side effects.6

Myth

Brushing your teeth after using chew lessens the damage.

Fact

Even if you brush your teeth or rinse your mouth after using chew, the high sugar content can erode tooth enamel. And you have still absorbed nicotine through your gums. Plus, chew users can suffer from black, furry tongue, gum recession, leukoplakia (white or gray patches inside the mouth) and other nasty side effects.678

References
1. Smokeless Tobacco: Products and Marketing, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017. Retrieved fromhttps://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/smokeless/products_marketing/index.htm
2. Health Risks of Smokeless Tobacco, American Cancer Society, 2015. Retrieved fromhttps://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/tobacco-and-cancer/smokeless-tobacco.html
3. Harmful Chemicals in Tobacco Products, American Cancer Society, 2017. Retrieved fromhttps://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/tobacco-and-cancer/carcinogens-found-in-tobacco-products.html
4. Smokeless Tobacco Products, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2018. Retrieved fromhttps://www.fda.gov/TobaccoProducts/Labeling/ProductsIngredientsComponents/ucm482582.htm
5. Smokeless Tobacco and Kids, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, 2017. Retrieved fromhttps://www.tobaccofreekids.org/assets/factsheets/0003.pdf
6. Quit Tobacco: Health Risks of Smokeless Tobacco, Mayo Clinic, 2017. Retrieved fromhttps://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/quit-smoking/in-depth/art-20047428?pg=2
7. Smokeless Tobacco: Health Effects, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017. Retrieved fromhttps://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/smokeless/health_effects/index.htm
8. Foul mouth: what yucky signs say about your health: Black Tongue, CBS News, 2017. Retrieved fromhttps://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/foul-mouth-what-yucky-signs-say-about-your-health/3/
Chew Tobacco - Get the Facts About Chew Tobacco, Including Ingredients and Risks - Tobacco Free Colorado (2024)

FAQs

What are 5 facts about tobacco? ›

7 Shocking Facts About The Risks Of Smoking
  • Tobacco is a killer.
  • It increases your chance of dying.
  • Smoking 1 cigarette can take 11 minutes off your life.
  • Smoking is not only a killer, but a serious cause of illness.
  • Smoking affects fertility.
  • It gives you bad breath.
  • Over 80% of people in the UK don't smoke.

What ingredients are in chewing tobacco? ›

Smokeless tobacco is a mixture of:
  • Tobacco.
  • Nicotine.
  • Sweeteners.
  • Abrasives.
  • Salts.
  • More than 3,000 chemicals, including 28 that are known to cause cancer.

What are the facts about tobacco use? ›

Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States. Cigarette smoking is costly to your health because nicotine is highly addictive. The need to smoke (or chew) speeds up the progress of cancers, heart disease, stroke, lung infections, and others.

What does chewing tobacco increase the risk of? ›

Smokeless tobacco causes cancer

The most harmful cancer-causing substances in smokeless tobacco are tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs). TSNA levels vary by product, but the higher the level the greater the cancer risk. Cancers linked to the use of smokeless tobacco include: Mouth, tongue, cheek, and gum cancer.

What are 3 Facts about tobacco? ›

Fast Facts and Fact Sheets
  • Smoking leads to disease and disability and harms nearly every organ of the body.
  • Cigarette smoking remains the leading cause of preventable disease, disability, and death in the United States.
  • The tobacco industry spends billions of dollars each year on marketing cigarettes.

What are 3 bad Facts about tobacco? ›

Smoking causes cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Smoking also increases risk for tuberculosis, certain eye diseases, and problems of the immune system, including rheumatoid arthritis.

What are 4 toxic ingredients in smokeless tobacco? ›

Smokeless Tobacco

These chemicals include heavy metals cadmium, lead, and nickel; as well as arsenic, a chemical used in insecticides; formaldehyde, which is used in embalming fluid; and N-Nitrosonornicotine (NNN), among others.

What are 5 harmful ingredients in tobacco? ›

Harmful Chemicals in Tobacco Products
  • Nicotine (the addictive drug that produces the effects in the brain that people are looking for)
  • Hydrogen cyanide.
  • Formaldehyde.
  • Lead.
  • Arsenic.
  • Ammonia.
  • Radioactive elements, such as polonium-210 (see below)
  • Benzene.
Oct 28, 2020

Is there menthol in chewing tobacco? ›

Menthol has made it into almost every type of tobacco product there is, including electronic smoking devices and e-liquids, smokeless tobacco, and cigar products.

What are 3 reasons people use tobacco? ›

People say that they use tobacco for many different reasons—like stress relief, pleasure, or in social situations. One of the first steps to quitting is to learn why you feel like using tobacco.

What are bad Facts about tobacco? ›

Smoke damage in the lungs can lead to serious long-term lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Smoking can also increase the risk of lung infections such as pneumonia and tuberculosis, and it can worsen some existing lung diseases, such as asthma.

What does tobacco do to your life? ›

Tobacco smoking can lead to lung cancer, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema. It increases the risk of heart disease, which can lead to stroke or heart attack. Smoking has also been linked to other cancers, leukemia, cataracts, and pneumonia. Smokeless tobacco increases the risk of cancer, especially mouth cancers.

How long does chewing tobacco stay in your system? ›

Generally, nicotine will leaves your blood within 1 to 3 days after you stop using tobacco, and cotinine will be gone after 1 to 10 days. Neither nicotine nor cotinine will be detectable in your urine after 3 to 4 days of stopping tobacco products.

Does chewing tobacco increase blood sugar levels? ›

Using spit tobacco (chew or snuff) or e- cigarettes is not a safe alternative to smoking. Tobacco use can raise your blood glucose (sugar) and reduce your body's ability to use insulin, making it harder to control your diabetes.

Does quitting tobacco raise blood pressure? ›

Epidemiological studies have found evidence of lower blood pressure in smokers and predict an increase in blood pressure after stopping smoking.

How does tobacco affect the brain? ›

We found that smokers had a thinner cerebral cortex than non-smokers – in other words, smoking was destroying the grey matter in smokers. This is important because the cerebral cortex is a part of the brain that is crucial for thinking skills including memory and learning, so thicker is better.

Who is most at risk of using tobacco? ›

People living in poverty smoke cigarettes more heavily and smoke for nearly twice as many years as people with a family income three times the poverty rate. Lower income individuals who smoke cigarettes suffer more from smoking-caused diseases than individuals who smoke with higher incomes.

What is the biggest health concern for users of smokeless tobacco has been? ›

Smokeless tobacco can cause white or gray patches inside the mouth (leukoplakia) that can lead to cancer. Smokeless tobacco can cause gum disease, tooth decay, and tooth loss.

Does smoking take 11 minutes off your life? ›

Each cigarette shortens life by 11 minutes. Each pack of cigarettes shortens life by 31/2 hours. Smokers who die of tobacco-related disease lose, on average, 14 years of life. 4.

What are 10 dangers of smoking? ›

  • Lung Cancer. More people die from lung cancer than any other type of cancer. ...
  • COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) COPD is an obstructive lung disease that makes it hard to breathe. ...
  • Heart Disease. ...
  • Stroke. ...
  • Asthma. ...
  • Reproductive Effects in Women. ...
  • Premature, Low Birth-Weight Babies. ...
  • Diabetes.
Jan 23, 2023

What are 2 facts or statistics about tobacco use? ›

Every day, about 1,600 U.S. youth younger than 18 years smoke their first cigarette. Each year, nearly half a million Americans die prematurely of smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke. Another 16 million live with a serious illness caused by smoking.

Does all tobacco contain arsenic? ›

Tobacco smoke itself contains arsenic that is inhaled with each puff. The easiest way to eliminate this source is to quit smoking and other tobacco use completely.” It is not intended for use in medical diagnosis or treatment.

What toxic metals are in tobacco? ›

In fact, toxic metals such as aluminium, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, and zinc are found in tobacco, cigarette paper, filters, and cigarette smoke.

Is VAPE worse than smoking? ›

1: Vaping is less harmful than smoking, but it's still not safe. E-cigarettes heat nicotine (extracted from tobacco), flavorings and other chemicals to create an aerosol that you inhale. Regular tobacco cigarettes contain 7,000 chemicals, many of which are toxic.

Is rat poison in cigarettes? ›

Arsenic-containing pesticides used in tobacco farming occur in small quantities in cigarette smoke. Arsenic is commonly found in rat poison. Ammonia is a toxic, colourless gas with a sharp odour. Ammonia compounds are commonly used in cleaning products and fertilisers.

Are any tobacco products safe? ›

There is no safe form of tobacco. Staying tobacco free is the best way to protect your health. Tobacco hurts and kills people. In fact, smoking causes about 1 out of every 5 deaths in the United States.

Is menthol tobacco worse than regular tobacco? ›

Because menthol flavoring masks the harsh taste of cigarette smoke, menthol smokers engage in more intense smoking behaviors than smokers of regular cigarettes. As a result, they suffer greater damage to their health. Here are three reasons menthols are so dangerous: People who smoke menthols smoke more.

Is menthol or tobacco better for you? ›

Menthol is a chemical compound that cools and numbs the throat, so it makes the smoke seems less harsh. It may be added to the tobacco or filters on menthol cigarettes. Are menthol cigarettes healthier for you? No.

Will menthol chewing tobacco be banned? ›

In November 2022, California voters approved Proposition 31, upholding a 2020 state law that banned the retail sale of menthol cigarettes and most flavored tobacco products in California.

What are 5 benefits of being tobacco free? ›

Time after quittingHealth benefits
1 to 12 monthsCoughing and shortness of breath decrease
1 to 2 yearsRisk of heart attack drops sharply
3 to 6 yearsAdded risk of coronary heart disease drops by half
5 to 10 yearsAdded risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, and voice box drops by half Risk of stroke decreases
6 more rows

Do lungs repair after smoking? ›

Your lungs are self-cleaning, which means they will gradually heal and regenerate on their own after you quit smoking. However, there are certain lifestyle behaviors you can practice to try and accelerate the rate at which your lungs heal.

Why do guys smoke after? ›

The nicotine buzz can also reduce the refractory period in-between org*sms. This means the desire for intercourse can return quickly, getting you in the mood more quickly. This serves to enhance both of your experiences and is a common reason why people smoke after sex.

Is tobacco use good or bad? ›

The Harmful Effects of Tobacco Use. Cigarette smoking leads to disease and disability and harms nearly every organ of the body. Smoking causes cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, type 2 diabetes, and other chronic health conditions. The impact also extends beyond the person who smokes.

Has tobacco always been bad for you? ›

On this day in 1964, U.S. Surgeon General Luther Terry issued a definitive report that linked smoking cigarettes with lung cancer. Decades later, the national battle to curb smoking still smolders.

Does tobacco affect everyone? ›

Many people think that the only people harmed by tobacco use are smokers who have smoked for a long time. The fact is that tobacco use can be harmful to everyone. This includes unborn babies and people who don't smoke. If you smoke cigarettes, cigars, or pipes, or use smokeless tobacco like chew and snuff, quit!

Which is worse tobacco or nicotine? ›

Compared to smoking cigarettes, which kills 6 million people around the world every year, nicotine on its own is less harmful.

What are 4 major benefits of quitting tobacco use? ›

Other health benefits of quitting smoking include:
  • Lower chance of blood clots in the legs, which may travel to the lungs.
  • Lower risk of erectile dysfunction.
  • Fewer problems during pregnancy, such as babies born at low birth weight, premature labor, miscarriage, and cleft lip.
  • Lower risk of infertility due to damaged sperm.

How tobacco is addictive? ›

Nicotine releases a chemical called dopamine in the same regions of the brain as other addictive drugs. It causes mood-altering changes that make the person temporarily feel good. Inhaled smoke delivers nicotine to the brain within 20 seconds, which makes it very addictive—comparable to opioids, alcohol and cocaine.

How do you detox your body from nicotine fast? ›

There are several things you can do to speed up this process:
  1. Drink water. When you drink more water, more nicotine is released from your body through urine.
  2. Exercise. This increases your body's metabolism rate, which may lead you to clear nicotine faster. ...
  3. Eat foods rich in antioxidants.
May 11, 2022

Can doctors tell if you smoke from a blood test? ›

Yes, your doctor can tell if you smoke occasionally by looking at medical tests that can detect nicotine in your blood, saliva, urine and hair. When you smoke or get exposed to secondhand smoke, the nicotine you inhale gets absorbed into your blood.

Can doctors tell if you vape through a blood test? ›

Nicotine shows up in blood tests, as do its metabolites, including cotinine and anabasine . Nicotine itself may be present in the blood for only 48 hours, while cotinine may be detectable for up to three weeks.

Which is worse sugar or tobacco? ›

Sugary drinks are just as bad as smoking cigarettes,” said Assistant Speaker Felix W. Ortiz. “Both are harmful, resulting in poor health to those who take them. What more does it take to convince people that smoking can lead to cancer and that sugar calories bring on obesity, high blood pressure and heart disease?

Does tobacco affect A1c? ›

Studies have shown that smoking increases hemoglobin A1c levels in patients with diabetes.

Does coffee effect blood sugar? ›

Caffeine can cause a spike in blood sugar levels. This happens because caffeine triggers a hormonal response in our bodies. First, it blocks adenosine receptors. These receptors help us fall asleep by binding to our cells.

What time of the day is blood pressure highest? ›

Usually, blood pressure starts to rise a few hours before a person wakes up. It continues to rise during the day, peaking in midday. Blood pressure typically drops in the late afternoon and evening.

Does coffee increase blood pressure? ›

Some research suggests coffee can lower the risk for high blood pressure, also called hypertension, in people who don't already have it. But drinking too much coffee has been shown to raise blood pressure and lead to anxiety, heart palpitations and trouble sleeping.

Does walking lower blood pressure? ›

Walking lowers systolic blood pressure by 4.11 mm Hg (95% CI, 3.01 to 5.22 mm Hg). It lowers diastolic blood pressure by 1.79 mm Hg (95% CI, 1.07 to 2.51 mm Hg) and resting heart rate by 2.76 beats per minute (bpm; 95% CI, 0.95 to 4.57 bpm).

What are the 5 uses of tobacco? ›

Tobacco has always been considered as a medicinal plant. Before its use as a smoking material, it has been used as a traditional medicine for common illnesses. It is claimed to be an antiseptic, sedative, emetic, purgative and useful in relieving pain.

What are the 5 A's of tobacco use? ›

Successful intervention begins with identifying users and appropriate interventions based upon the patient's willingness to quit. The five major steps to intervention are the "5 A's": Ask, Advise, Assess, Assist, and Arrange.

What are bad facts about tobacco? ›

Smoking causes cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, type 2 diabetes, and other chronic health conditions. The impact also extends beyond the person who smokes. For example, smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of premature birth (being born too early) and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

What are 3 reasons people smoke tobacco? ›

People say that they use tobacco for many different reasons—like stress relief, pleasure, or in social situations. One of the first steps to quitting is to learn why you feel like using tobacco.

What are 5 harmful things found in tobacco? ›

Harmful Chemicals in Tobacco Products
  • Nicotine (the addictive drug that produces the effects in the brain that people are looking for)
  • Hydrogen cyanide.
  • Formaldehyde.
  • Lead.
  • Arsenic.
  • Ammonia.
  • Radioactive elements, such as polonium-210 (see below)
  • Benzene.
Oct 28, 2020

What is the healthiest form of tobacco? ›

There is no safe smoking option — tobacco is always harmful. Light, low-tar and filtered cigarettes aren't any safer — people usually smoke them more deeply or smoke more of them.

What are the 4 main types of tobacco products? ›

Tobacco is available in many different forms. You may recognize some of the forms, such as cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and chewing tobacco.

What are the 3 major types of tobacco? ›

Tobacco is the core component of our products. The three tobacco types are Virginia, burley and oriental.

What are the 5 main reasons people begin to use tobacco? ›

  • Their parents are smokers.
  • Peer pressure—their friends encourage them to try cigarettes and to keep smoking.
  • They see smoking as a way of rebelling and showing independence.
  • They think that everyone else is smoking and that they should, too.
Nov 17, 2022

What are the 3 parts of tobacco smoke? ›

  • Cigarette Smoke Components and Disease:
  • Cigarette Smoke I s More Thana Triad of Tar,
  • Nicotine, and Carbon Monoxide.

What are 2 facts about tobacco? ›

Tobacco kills more than 8 million people each year. More than 7 million of those deaths are the result of direct tobacco use while around 1.2 million are the result of non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke. Over 80% of the world's 1.3 billion tobacco users live in low- and middle-income countries.

How does nicotine affect the brain? ›

These risks include nicotine addiction, mood disorders, and permanent lowering of impulse control. Nicotine also changes the way synapses are formed, which can harm the parts of the brain that control attention and learning.

What is the main cause of tobacco addiction? ›

Nicotine is a highly addictive chemical found in cigarettes, chewing tobacco and vaping products. Nicotine is the main reason why it is so hard to quit smoking.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Jerrold Considine

Last Updated:

Views: 5560

Rating: 4.8 / 5 (78 voted)

Reviews: 93% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Jerrold Considine

Birthday: 1993-11-03

Address: Suite 447 3463 Marybelle Circles, New Marlin, AL 20765

Phone: +5816749283868

Job: Sales Executive

Hobby: Air sports, Sand art, Electronics, LARPing, Baseball, Book restoration, Puzzles

Introduction: My name is Jerrold Considine, I am a combative, cheerful, encouraging, happy, enthusiastic, funny, kind person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.