Smokeless Tobacco: “Can there be fire when there is no Smoke” Part 6

Chemicals in Smokeless Tobacco

Oral smokeless tobacco contains numerous carcinogens, including polonium 210, tobacco-specific N-nitrosamines, volatile aldehydes, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. An analysis of the nicotine content of 11 brands of popular smokeless tobacco products found that moist snuff has the highest nicotine content, whereas loose-leaf chewing tobacco has the lowest nicotine content. In addition, a lot of other chemicals including heavy metals are found in these products. These metals include cadmium, zinc and polonium. These heavy metals are thought to be leached into the products from insecticides and agricultural sprays.

Pure nicotine and smokeless tobacco extract (STE) have been compared for their oxidative stress actions by measuring the generation of reactive oxygen species. Pure nicotine has been found to be less toxic than STE with equivalent amounts of nicotine.

Addiction potential

There is no doubt that smokeless tobacco is just as addictive as smoking. Both products contain nicotine which is the additive agent. Despite the fact that the smokeless products are safer than cigarettes, they are still addictive. Just as with smoking, withdrawal from chewing tobacco causes signs and symptoms such as intense cravings, increased appetite, irritability and depressed moods.

People who use chewing tobacco eventually develop a tolerance for nicotine and need more tobacco to feel the effects of the nicotine. Some people switch to brands with more nicotine and tend to use chewing tobacco more frequently the longer they've been using smokeless products.

Government regulations and taxation on cigarettes has led to more individual turning to the smokeless products. Whether these products are less harmful than their counterparts, will only be known in the near future