Call it chewing tobacco, smokeless tobacco, snuff, pinch or dip - but don't call it harmless.
Feb. 19-25 is National Through with Chew Week and an excellent time to call attention to smokeless tobacco use in Nebraska, said Marlo Roberts, Community Connections Tobacco Free Lincoln County Coalition coordinator.
"Smokeless tobacco is not a safe alternative to smoking," Roberts said. "It is even more habit forming because it contains a higher concentration of nicotine than cigarettes."
Unfortunately use of chewing tobacco is making a comeback among young people, especially young women, Roberts said. According to the 2010 Nebraska Youth Risk Behavior Survey of 9-12 grade students, 10 percent of Nebraska high school males used smokeless tobacco within the past 30 days. Nebraska's combined male and female total is 6 percent.
"Kids get into using smokeless tobacco through experimentation," Roberts said. "Young girls use it because it can be hidden. It is also easier to steal than cigarettes."
Thursday, Feb. 23, is the Great American Spit Out. Adults can set an example by giving up tobacco that day.
"I don't know of any single adult who smokes who wants their child to use tobacco," Roberts said.
Smokeless tobacco can cause oral cancer, especially in the cheeks, neck and gums, Robert said. It can also lead to other problems, such as mouth sores, gum recession, tooth decay, bad breath and permanently discolored teeth.
"Using smokeless tobacco is more common in Nebraska than the nation as a whole," Roberts said. "Young adults who try it for the first time are often drawn by the flavors, mint, vanilla or apple and milder tastes."
Community Connections Tobacco-Free Lincoln County is a collaborative effort that focuses on keeping youth from starting to use tobacco, reducing access to tobacco products and increasing awareness on the dangers of secondhand smoke.
"We are not the 'tobacco Nazis,'" Roberts said. "We are working to change this health issue."
Funding for Tobacco-Free Lincoln County comes from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services/Tobacco Free Nebraska Program as a result of the tobacco master settlement agreement.
Source:nptelegraph.com
