From the Lindsay Post, Canada. By a Health Promotor, no less:
Smokeless does not mean harmless
Posted By Dearbhla Lynch
Posted 13 hours ago
What's old is new again, particularly with 'smokeless' tobacco products.
Smokeless is just that...a type of tobacco product that does not need to be lit with a match or lighter. Instead, you put smokeless tobacco in your mouth (usually between the lip and gum) to absorb the nicotine into your system. Today, the most common types of smokeless tobacco are snuff, chewing tobacco and plug, with new variations such as snus (pronounced 'snoose') also being sold in Canada.
Smokeless tobacco is not new. Up until the mid-1800s, it was the most commonly-used form of tobacco in North America and Europe. However by the late 19th century, cigarettes became the most popular, and deadly, form of tobacco. This was due to the invention of cigarette-making machines, the completion of railways to make distribution easier and the marketing of cigarettes.
Now, history seems to be repeating itself. With fewer people smoking, the tobacco industry is aggressively marketing smokeless tobacco by introducing 'cool' brands and 'fun' flavours, including cherry, apple, peach and mint. Smoking bans may also make smokeless tobacco more popular to use as a substitute for cigarettes. The latest trends show that smokeless tobacco is growing in popularity in Ontario among young people and even sports teams. In fact, most people who use smokeless tobacco start as young as the age of nine or 10 years old!
Don't be misled by the false impression created by the tobacco industry. The fact remains: smokeless does not mean harmless! Smokeless tobacco is as harmful as cigarettes.
Did you realize that smokeless tobacco contains more nicotine than cigarettes? The nicotine contained in one tin of "dip" or "chew" of smokeless tobacco can deliver up to five-times the amount of nicotine found in one cigarette. Put another way, using one tin of smokeless tobacco per day is equivalent to a five-pack-a-day cigarette habit.
Then there are the negative health effects of smokeless tobacco products, which contain more than 3,000 chemicals, including nearly 30 that are known to cause cancer. By using smokeless tobacco regularly, you can experience tiredness, muscle weakness, depression, lack of energy, and bad breath. Over the long term, more serious complications can occur, including cancer of the mouth and throat, gum disease, tooth decay, high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, upset stomach and ulcers.
Not a pretty picture, no matter how nicely the tobacco industry tries to package smokeless tobacco. Unfortunately the tobacco industry is good at packaging, as shown by its ability to glamorize tobacco use in ads and deny for decades any link between smoking and cancer.
Put it this way...if you want something to chew on, look at the hard facts about smokeless tobacco. It is something you won't hear from the tobacco industry.
Dearbhla Lynch is a Health Promoter with the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit.
Smokeless does not mean harmless
Posted By Dearbhla Lynch
Posted 13 hours ago
What's old is new again, particularly with 'smokeless' tobacco products.
Smokeless is just that...a type of tobacco product that does not need to be lit with a match or lighter. Instead, you put smokeless tobacco in your mouth (usually between the lip and gum) to absorb the nicotine into your system. Today, the most common types of smokeless tobacco are snuff, chewing tobacco and plug, with new variations such as snus (pronounced 'snoose') also being sold in Canada.
Smokeless tobacco is not new. Up until the mid-1800s, it was the most commonly-used form of tobacco in North America and Europe. However by the late 19th century, cigarettes became the most popular, and deadly, form of tobacco. This was due to the invention of cigarette-making machines, the completion of railways to make distribution easier and the marketing of cigarettes.
Now, history seems to be repeating itself. With fewer people smoking, the tobacco industry is aggressively marketing smokeless tobacco by introducing 'cool' brands and 'fun' flavours, including cherry, apple, peach and mint. Smoking bans may also make smokeless tobacco more popular to use as a substitute for cigarettes. The latest trends show that smokeless tobacco is growing in popularity in Ontario among young people and even sports teams. In fact, most people who use smokeless tobacco start as young as the age of nine or 10 years old!
Don't be misled by the false impression created by the tobacco industry. The fact remains: smokeless does not mean harmless! Smokeless tobacco is as harmful as cigarettes.
Did you realize that smokeless tobacco contains more nicotine than cigarettes? The nicotine contained in one tin of "dip" or "chew" of smokeless tobacco can deliver up to five-times the amount of nicotine found in one cigarette. Put another way, using one tin of smokeless tobacco per day is equivalent to a five-pack-a-day cigarette habit.
Then there are the negative health effects of smokeless tobacco products, which contain more than 3,000 chemicals, including nearly 30 that are known to cause cancer. By using smokeless tobacco regularly, you can experience tiredness, muscle weakness, depression, lack of energy, and bad breath. Over the long term, more serious complications can occur, including cancer of the mouth and throat, gum disease, tooth decay, high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, upset stomach and ulcers.
Not a pretty picture, no matter how nicely the tobacco industry tries to package smokeless tobacco. Unfortunately the tobacco industry is good at packaging, as shown by its ability to glamorize tobacco use in ads and deny for decades any link between smoking and cancer.
Put it this way...if you want something to chew on, look at the hard facts about smokeless tobacco. It is something you won't hear from the tobacco industry.
Dearbhla Lynch is a Health Promoter with the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit.
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