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Smokeless Tobacco An Option for Smokers
Rabid anti-smoking and anti-tobacco zealots hate any form of tobacco use, but smokeless tobacco products can be an alternative to smoking for many people.
Whether you need an alternative when you can't smoke due to laws and restrictions or you want to cut back on the nasty parts of smoking but still keep the nicotine experience or you're trying to quit and need an option as you withdraw from nicotine, you should at least consider smokeless tobacco.
What is smokeless tobacco?
Smokeless tobacco comes in two forms: snuff and chewing tobacco. The nicotine in snuff and chew is absorbed through the tissues in the mouth.
Snuff is finely ground tobacco that is sold in cans, tins or pouches. Snuff is generally used by putting a "pinch" or "dip" between the lower lip or cheek and the gum. A newer type of snuff is called snus. Snuff has been used for hundreds of years and was once very fashionable with snuff boxes and bottles now collector items.
Chewing tobacco is sold as loose leaves, plugs, or twists. It is chewed or placed between the cheek and the gum or teeth.
What are the benefits of smokeless tobacco?
Because you are not smoking, you are not taking smoke and its harmfull components into your lungs. You are also not generating passive smoke that might harm or irritate others. Anti-smoking laws are just that ... anti-smoking laws. So most do not prohibit the use of all tobacco products so you can use smokeless tobacco in most places that do not allow smoking.
Is smokeless tobacco safe?
In a word, no. Smokeless tobacco is still harmful and is not a risk-free alternative to smoking. It can be addictive and can cause health problems. But if you're not ready to give up on nicotine yet, it can be an alternative to cigarettes.