Smokeless Tobacco

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Smokeless tobacco is presented as an alternative to smoking cigarettes, although smokeless tobacco has some benefits over smoking cigarettes, it also causes harm to the user. There are different forms of smokeless tobacco such as chewing tobacco that come in the forms of as Plug/Twist, Verb Use (consider revising). Snuff another form of smokeless tobacco composed of grounded tobacco leaves requires you to place it between the gums and cheeks, then spit out the juices or swallow if you please. The newest version called snus, in which you place them between the gum/cheek, but you do not have to spit out juices. Smokeless tobacco should not be used as a harm reduction strategy because it still causes health problems for the user such as oral cancers, heart diseases, and reproductive problems, while also being able to cause addition to the user (MayoClinic, 2009).

Smokeless tobacco and cigarettes both contain harmful chemicals, while smokeless tobacco contains a lower count. Although it contains less harmful chemicals, it still has chemicals that cause concern. Smokeless tobacco contains carcinogenic chemicals such as nitrosamines, which come in the form of nitrosonornicotine, NNK, and nicotine. Nicotine is the main additive chemical in cigarettes, but Passive Voice (consider revising) in smokeless tobacco (Goldberg, 2005). Nicotine is absorbed through the mouth directly to the bloodstream, where it will soon enter the brain. When smokeless tobacco users remove the tobacco from their mouth, it is still absorbed into the blood stream. Nicotine remains in the blood longer for users of smokeless tobacco vs. regular smokers (NCI, 2010). The user will suffer the same withdrawal symptoms of a regular smoker such as cravings, increased ...

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...etely (Goldberg, 2005).

Reference

Cancer Prevention. (2008).World Almanac & Book of Facts, 141. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Goldberg. R (2005). Taking Sides Clashing in Views Drugs and Society. New York, NY. McGraw-Hill

Mejia, A. B., & Ling, P. M. (2010). Tobacco Industry Consumer Research on Smokeless

Tobacco Users and Product Development. American Journal of Public Health, 100(1), 78-87. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Mayo Clinic Staff (2009). Chewing Tobacco: Not a Safe Alternative to Cigarettes. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/chewing-tobacco/CA00019

NCI (2010). Smokeless Tobacco and Cancer. Retrieved from http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Tobacco/smokeless

NCI2 (2010). Smokeless Tobacco Health and Other Effects. Retrieved from http://cancercontrol.cancer.gov/tcrb/less_effects.html

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