Switching to Smokeless Won’t Cut Dangers
12/26/2006 Pennsylvania, USA Dr. Howard R. Tolchinksky www.centredaily.com As public smoking bans gain momentum throughout Pennsylvania, there is a growing concern within the health care community that smokers may be tempted to switch to smokeless tobacco products in situations where they are barred from lighting up. Big tobacco is paying attention. The industry is promoting new flavored chew and spit-free products that they market as being more convenient and socially acceptable than smoking or using traditional chew. These products repackage tobacco into a more socially acceptable but equally addictive nicotine delivery system. Increased public awareness of the hazards of smoking and smoking bans are cutting into the profits of leading cigarette manufacturers, which may be behind the industry’s increased focus on smokeless products. The impact is already being felt: smokeless tobacco sales in the United States topped $3 billion last year, while the number of cigarettes sold fell to the lowest level in more than 50 years. Many dentists and physicians are troubled by the industry’s new emphasis on smokeless tobacco. Some advertising may leave the impression that smokeless tobacco is somehow safer than smoking, or is a smart alternative for people who are trying to quit smoking. Sadly, neither is true. The amount of nicotine absorbed by the body from smokeless tobacco is three to four times higher than the amount delivered by a cigarette. A person who uses eight to 10 dips or chews a day ingests the same amount of nicotine as a heavy smoker who has [...]