Chewing tobacco - Research Paper Example

& Johnson, C, 2000, p.2). Moreover, the statistics of the tobacco users and its addiction shows that the problem is of large scale and of serious nature. According to a report of the Surgeon General (1989), the negative health consequences of addiction to tobacco through smoking and oral use has been revealed through number of medical and scientific researches (Johnson, D. & Johnson, C, 2000, p.2). The sad news is that the number of people who use tobacco but are not even prepared to quit it is more than 50 million in the US alone (Johnson, D.

& Johnson, C, 2000, p.2). This shows that either people are not aware of the hazardous consequences of tobacco dependence or they are so addicted to it that they are not able to quit it. Hence, the only way to tackle the problem of tobacco dependence successfully is to prevent it at any cost, and not to fall in the trap of the ‘safety’ of chewing tobacco and the ‘charm’ of smoking tobacco. Smokeless Tobacco Smokeless tobacco is the tobacco that people chew, take orally or inhale, instead of consuming (i.e. smoking) it through cigarettes, as is usually done (Ghodse, 2010, p. 121). ‘Smokeless tobacco’, the tobacco that is consumed by chewing, is the term used generally in Southeast Asia as the oral use of tobacco is more common in Southeast Asian countries (Ghodse, 2010, p. 121). In Asian countries, chewing tobacco is common practice not only in men but also in women (Ghodse, 2010, p. 121). By adding flavors and nuts, the tobacco is made easy to consume on daily basis (Ghodse, 2010, p. 121). People in Asia have a peculiar way of chewing tobacco.

To enhance the taste of tobacco and to make it linger in mouth for a long time, the nicotine is permitted to be absorbed slowly through oral cavity by placing the ‘moist’ ground tobacco between the gums and the cheek (Ghodse, 2010, p. 121).However, as this method also makes the user to spit frequently, it is not a popular method of consuming tobacco (Ghodse, 2010, p. 121). The method of nasal inhalation or dry snuff, which can be taken orally, is the method which is used by most people to consume smokeless tobacco (Ghodse, 2010, p. 121). It is assumed that as chewing tobacco does not involve inhaling or exhaling smoke, it is not harmful to health.

However, it has been found that chewing tobacco causes more harmful health problems than smoking tobacco. Dangers of Chewing Tobacco The tobacco industry has always tried to minimize health worries related to tobacco use by introducing new ‘safe’ brands to the public through manipulative advertisements and campaigns (Johnson, D. & Johnson, C, 2000, p. 3). The tobacco advertising campaigns in 1970’s and 1980’s made people believe that they can reduce the health risks related to tobacco use by adopting the ‘safe’ way to use tobacco, i.e. chewing or tasting it, rather than smoking it through cigarette, cigars or pipes (Johnson, D.

& Johnson, C, 2000, p.3). However, it has been found that chewing tobacco is, in fact, more harmful than smoking tobacco. Through the sensitive linings of mouth and tongue, the nicotine enters the bloodstream of the user who chews tobacco (Johnson, D. & Jo