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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Office on Smoking and Health
Tel: 1-800-CDC-INFO
(1-800-232-4636)
TTY: 1-888-232-6348
E-mail: tobaccoinfo@cdc.gov
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Fact Sheet
Smokeless Tobacco
(updated April 2007)
The two main types of smokeless tobacco in the United States are chewing
tobacco and snuff.1,2 Chewing tobacco comes in the form of loose
leaf, plug, or twist.1,2 Snuff is finely ground tobacco that
can be dry, moist, or in sachets (tea bag-like pouches).2 Although
some forms of snuff can be used by sniffing or inhaling into the nose,2
most smokeless tobacco users place the product in their cheek or between
their gum and cheek.3 Users then suck on the tobacco and spit
out the tobacco juices, which is why smokeless tobacco is often referred
to as spit or spitting tobacco.3 Smokeless tobacco is a significant
health risk and is not a safe substitute for smoking cigarettes.4
Health Effects
- Smokeless tobacco contains 28 cancer-causing agents (carcinogens).2
It is a known cause of human cancer,5 as it increases the
risk of developing cancer of the oral cavity.5 Oral health
problems strongly associated with smokeless tobacco use are leukoplakia
(a lesion of the soft tissue that consists of a white patch or plaque
that cannot be scraped off) and recession of the gums.3
- Smokeless tobacco use can lead to nicotine addiction and dependence.4
- Adolescents who use smokeless tobacco are more likely to become
cigarette smokers.3
High-Risk Populations and Current Estimates
- Smokeless tobacco use in the United States is higher among young
white males; American Indians/Alaska Natives; people living in southern
and north central states; and people who are employed in blue collar
occupations, service/laborer jobs, or who are unemployed.6
- Nationally, an estimated 3% of adults are current smokeless
tobacco users.7 Smokeless tobacco use is much higher among
men (6%) than women (0.4%).7
- In the United States, 9% of American Indian/Alaska Natives,
4% of whites, 2% of African Americans, 1% of Hispanics,
and 0.6% of Asian-American adults are current smokeless tobacco
users.7
- An estimated 8% of high school students are current smokeless
tobacco users.8 Smokeless tobacco is more common among males
(13.6%) than female high school students (2.2%).8
Estimates by race/ethnicity are 10.2% for white, 5.1% for Hispanic,
and 1.7% for African-American high school students.8
- An estimated 3% of middle school students are current smokeless
tobacco users.9 Smokeless tobacco is more common among male
(4%) than female (2%) middle school students.9 Estimates by race/ethnicity
are 3% for white, 1% for Asian, 2% for African-American, and 4% for Hispanic middle school
students.9
Other Information
- During 2005, the five largest tobacco manufacturers spent a new record of $250.79 million on smokeless tobacco advertising and promotion, versus the previous record of $236.68 million in 2001.1
- The two leading smokeless tobacco brands for users aged 12 years
or older are Skoal (28%) and Copenhagen (22%).10
References
- Federal Trade Commission.
Smokeless
Tobacco Report for the Years 2002–2005.
(PDF–61KB)
Washington, DC: Federal Trade Commission; 2007. Available
from: http://www.ftc.gov/reports/tobacco/02-05smokeless0623105.pdf. Accessed: April 2007
- National Cancer Institute.
Smokeless
Tobacco or Health: An International
Perspective. Bethesda, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute; 1992. Available
from: http://cancercontrol.cancer.gov/tcrb/monographs/2/index.html. Accessed: December 2006.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Preventing Tobacco
Use Among Young People: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta,
GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic
Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health,
1994. Available from:
http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/sgr_1994/index.htm. Accessed: December 2006.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The Health
Consequences of Using Smokeless Tobacco: A Report of the Advisory
Committee to the Surgeon General, 1986. Bethesda, MD: U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, Public Health Service. NIH Pub. No. 86-2874. Available
from: http://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/NN/B/B/F/C/. Accessed: December 2006.
- International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
Summaries and Evaluations Tobacco Products, Smokeless (Group 1); February 1998
. Available from:
http://www.inchem.org/documents/iarc/suppl7/tobaccosmokeless.html. Accessed: December 2006.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Reducing the Health
Consequences of Smoking—25 Years of Progress: A Report of the Surgeon
General. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
Public Health Service, CDC; 1989. DHHS Pub. No. (CDC) 89–8411. Available
from: http://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/NN/B/B/X/S/. Accessed: December 2006.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Results
From the 2005 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Detailed Tables.
(PDF–58KB)
Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration,
Office of Applied Studies; 2006. Available from:
http://oas.samhsa.gov/NSDUH/2k5nsduh/tabs/Sect2peTabs37to41.pdf. Accessed: December 2006.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance—United States, 2005.
CDC Surveillance Summaries 2005;55(SS05):1–108. Available
from: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5505a1.htm. Accessed: January 2007.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Tobacco Use, Access, and Exposure To Tobacco in Media Among
Middle and High School Students–United States, 2004.
MMWR 2005;54(12):297-301. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5412a1.htm. Accessed: December 2006.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Results
From the 2005 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Detailed Tables.
(PDF–111KB)
Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration,
Office of Applied Studies, 2006. Available from:
http://oas.samhsa.gov/NSDUH/2k5nsduh/tabs/Sect7peTabs58to67.pdf. Accessed: December 2006.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Office on Smoking and Health
E-mail: tobaccoinfo@cdc.gov
Phone: 1-800-CDC-INFO
Media Inquiries: Contact CDC's Office on Smoking and Health press
line at 770-488-5493.
Page last reviewed 04/27/2007
Page last modified 04/27/2007