What if the patient quits smoking but gets addicted to smokeless tobacco?
Smokeless tobacco products are still harmful. All forms of oral tobacco contain known carcinogens (cancer-causing agents) and are addictive and are not a safe substitute for tobacco smoking. Harmful health effects include: oral (mouth) cancer, pancreatic cancer, leukoplakia (white sores in the mouth that can lead to cancer), receding gums (gums slowly shrink away from around the teeth), bone loss around the roots of the teeth, abrasion (scratching and wearing down) of teeth, staining of teeth, bad breath and addiction to nicotine. The snuff and chewing tobacco products most widely used in the United States contain very high levels of tobacco-specific nitrosamines, which are carcinogenic. These carcinogens (cancer-causing agents) cause lung cancer in animals, even when injected. These products have not been proven to be effective in helping smokers quit. Smokers who delay quitting by using smokeless products between cigarettes greatly increase their risk of lung cancer. They also set th
