altrnative tobacco

[informashun]

i have numerous pals who to beat the no smoking embargo are taking snuff.
anyone views on this habit .
to me it can be smelled and nose blowing is messy.
i presume that as there is no smoke then it cant do much damage.
however, it is tobacco and it states on the tin that it can be harmful and addictive.
comments please.

[Fay Mousse]

There is a danger of oral cancer from using snuff:

The major risk factors associated with oral cancer are as follows:
� Smoking tobacco � cigarettes, pipes and cigars
� Smokeless tobacco (chewing tobacco) � e.g. snuff,

http://www.ash.org.uk/html/health/html/oral.ht ml

Don't look at that site if you are squeamish.

Tobacco is addictive, whichever form you use it.

My grandmother used snuff all her adult life. Her top lip was stained yellow from the stuff.

From a personal point of view - I would prefer people to use snuff than smoke near me. I have chronic asthma which is triggered by the chemicals in cigarettes.

[informashun]

blimey fay,
what a shocker, this article should be made readily available to all smokers and snuff takers etc.
theres one here who wont touch any tobacco products.
many thanks

[shellzway]

even though there is no smoke, snuff still contains nicotine, it is still as dangerous as smoking if not more. this type of product will increase the chances of throat cancer, as well as mouth cancer, where your tounge would have to be cut out of your mouth. the nicotine is actually in contact with the inside of your mouth and tounge, this makes it easier for the nicotine to degenerate the inside of the mouth and tounge. this is much worse than smoking. you will definitely have a much better chance of getting cancer.

[getclicks]

The question was about nasal snuff, not moist snuff or chewing tobacco...

Your mates should be congratulated for giving up smoking in favour of a less harmful method of obtaining their nicotine fix!

Ash really isn't a un-biased resource to link to in answer to this question.

How about the only 'western' country in the world that currently is researching snuff as an alternative for it's smokers - New Zealand?

http://www.smokeless.org.nz/nasalsnuff.htm

Or The House of Lords when discussing if snuff should be a special case during a tobacco advertising law change?

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200 102/ldhansrd/vo011116/text/11116-06.htm

Or The Lancet

"Switching from cigarettes to snuff would substantially reduce the risk of lung cancer, bronchitis, emphysema, and possibly coronary heart disease as well, at the cost of a slight increase in the risk of cancer of the nasopharynx (or oral cavity in the case of wet snuff). Another advantage of snuff is that it does not contaminate the atmosphere for non-users."

http://www.snuffstore.co.uk/Lancet%20Snuff.pdf

Or the Cambridge Journal which basically says the same as the Lancet.

http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAb stract?fromPage=online&aid=403061