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Sniffing
Out the Truth About Snuff
Smokeless tobacco is “so cool” –
it stains your teeth, gives you bad breath and makes you spit a lot to get rid
of the nicotine-flavored saliva in your mouth. You don’t smoke it or swallow
it, so it must be ok – right?
Wrong.
Smokeless tobacco, whichever form is used,
is still tobacco. It contains nicotine, it is addictive, it causes
immediate changes in a user’s body and
it leads to serious health problems.
While
smokeless tobacco is not as popular among teens as cigarettes, many young people
in South Dakota use it. According to the national State Youth Tobacco Survey
2000, South Dakota ranks sixth in the nation for the number of middle and high
school students who use smokeless tobacco products.
Who
is using? According to the same study, the typical smokeless tobacco user is a
white male between 16 and 30 years old. The highest use is among high school
boys in rural areas.
Kids may start using chew or snuff as an alternative to cigarettes, seeking the
nicotine hit without the smells associated with lighting up. Others think a wad
of shredded tobacco tucked under their lips will improve their athletic
abilities.
Parents and students alike may think they know all they need to about smokeless
tobacco. Check out the myths and the facts from the
National Cancer Institute, and click the link below for more information.
And remember, smokeless doesn’t mean harmless.
Myths and Truths
about Smokeless Tobacco
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Myth: |
Smokeless tobacco is
a safe alternative to cigarettes. |
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Truth |
Just because there
is no smoke, doesn't mean that smokeless tobacco is safe. Smokeless
tobacco can cause cancer and a whole bunch of other bad health effects. |
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Myth: |
Smokeless tobacco
makes you a better athlete. |
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Truth |
No way. You may feel
like you can perform better in sports, but you don't because you can't.
Studies have shown that athletes who use smokeless tobacco don't play
better or move faster. |
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Myth: |
You can use a little
smokeless tobacco and not get hooked. |
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Truth |
Even a little
smokeless tobacco has enough nicotine in it to get you addicted if you
keep using it. Don't be fooled by thinking you can use just a little and
not get addicted. |
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Myth: |
Because baseball
players and other sports figures use smokeless tobacco, it's OK for you to
use it, too. |
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Truth |
The baseball players
who use smokeless tobacco say they want to quit, but they're hooked. They
didn't know when they started using smokeless tobacco that they wouldn't
be able to quit or that using smokeless tobacco is bad for your health. |
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Myth: |
Since most people
use smokeless tobacco and other tobacco, you might as well too. |
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Truth |
Actually, most
people do not use tobacco but kids tend to think more people use tobacco
than actually do. When you see so much advertising, smokeless tobacco for
sale on the store counters, a lot of people who use smokeless tobacco, you
may think most people use it but they don't. |
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Myth: |
Since smokeless
tobacco is sold in stores in the United States where kids shop and in
areas where kids go, kids can buy smokeless tobacco. |
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Truth |
It is illegal to
sell smokeless tobacco or any other kind of tobacco, including cigarettes
and cigars to anyone under the age of 18. The Food and Drug Administration
requires that sellers of tobacco ask for identification that includes the
birth date and picture of the person trying to buy tobacco to make sure
they are not selling to people under 18 years. |
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Myth: |
Even if you use
smokeless tobacco, you can quit any time you want. |
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Truth |
Kids overrate their
ability to be able to quit. The truth is that if you're hooked, it isn't
easy to quit. But you can do it! |
Find out more
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