Smokeless Tobacco: Not a Safe Alternative

Many people who chew tobacco or dip snuff think it is safer than smoking. It is not: tobacco does not have to be smoked to be dangerous.

Risks in the mouth

• cancer of the mouth;
• decay of exposed tooth roots;
• gums pulling away from the teeth;
• white patches or red sores that can turn into cancer.

Beyond the mouth

Recent research suggests the harm may go further: smokeless tobacco may play a role in other cancers, heart disease and stroke.

Hard to quit

Smokeless tobacco has more nicotine than cigarettes, and nicotine is highly addictive, which makes it hard to stop once you start. Setting a quit date and making a quitting plan can help you succeed.

Sources

Based on "Smokeless Tobacco," MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, drawing on the NIH National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research; a work of the United States government in the public domain.