Chewing Tobacco: The Most Dangerous Addiction - Research Paper Example

Introduction Addiction to substance is one of the major health problems in the world today. It has been found that among all the substances that cause addiction, the most dangerous and harmful is tobacco. According to WHO’s International Classification of Diseases, ICD-10, tobacco dependence is classified as mental and behavioral disorder in human beings (Johnson, D. & Johnson, C, 2000, p.2). The DSM-III (1987) has also recognized the dependence on tobacco as a substance use disorder (Johnson, D. & Johnson, C, 2000, p.2), as tobacco addiction causes similar consequences as the addiction to any other substances cause. According to the DSM-IV, when a person suffers from three or more substance use related symptoms like tolerance, withdrawal, compulsive use of substance etc., then he can be declared as suffering from substance dependence (Johnson, D. & 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. & Johnson, C, 2000, p.3). According to Shopland (1993), the same amount of nicotine that a person gets by smoking 2 packs of cigarettes a day, is received by person using smokeless tobacco, through only 8-10 chaws every day (Johnson, D. & Johnson, C, 2000, p.3).This shows that chewing tobacco is more harmful than smoking. The Consequences Of Tobacco Addiction According to ABC news (1995), the number of adolescents who start smoking, chewing and dipping tobacco everyday, is 6000 (Johnson, D. & Johnson, C, 2000, p.2). 1 out of 5 deaths in the US are caused by tobacco use and more than 50,000 Americans lose their lives every year due to addiction to tobacco in some form or other (Johnson, D. & Johnson, C, 2000, p.2). According to Smoke-Free (1994) “the total number of deaths attributed to tobacco use exceeds the total from alcohol, cocaine, crack, heroin, car accident, homicide, suicide, fire, and AIDS combined” (Johnson, D. & Johnson, C, 2000, p.2). This is a shocking revelation and it shows how serious is the magnitude of health problem due to tobacco addiction. The measurement of physical functions in tobacco users throughout the day revealed that smokeless tobacco causes an increase in blood pressure and heightens the heart rate (World Health Organization & IARC, 2007, p.319). Use of smokeless tobacco has been found to increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases like myocardial infarction and sudden cardiac death (WHO & IARC, 2007, P. 321). Not only that but according to the WHO (1998), dental problems like caries, gum recession, teeth abrasion, discoloration and filling of teeth, bad breath and diseases like leukoplakia and various forms of oral cancer are also associated with chewing tobacco (Elders, 1994, p.39). According to Winn (1988), cancers of gum, mouth, pharynx, larynx, and esophagus are especially associated with consistent habit of chewing tobacco (Elders, 1994, p.39). It has been found that tobacco used in any form is equally dangerous and hence, has raised a serious concern for use of smokeless tobacco (Elders, 1994, p.39). Moreover, the fact that chewing tobacco is becoming more popular among teenagers and young adults, has made it more important to take drastic steps in preventing them from using it, as chewing tobacco also lead young people towards smoking (Elders, 1994, p.39). Study by Wolfe and Carlos (1987) revealed that 64% of adolescents between 14-19 years of age in New Mexico use smokeless tobacco, out of which, 26% were found suffering from oral laukoplakia (Satcher& Broome, 1998, p.174). Also, compared to adolescents who did not use tobacco, the adolescents using tobacco were found to be nine times more at risk of developing different life threatening diseases (Satcher& Broome, 1998, p.174). This shows that chewing tobacco is affecting negatively not only the health of adults but also the adolescents, who are the future of this world. Conclusion The literature review shows that the negative health consequences of tobacco dependence is not only putting the lives of adults in danger but is also proving life threatening for young people. It is clear from the review that tobacco, in any form, is dangerous to health. Hence, the best way to eradicate the problem of tobacco use from the society is to avoid falling in the trap of ‘safety’ of smokeless tobacco, as it is clear that no form of tobacco can ever be ‘safe’ for human beings. References Elders, M.J. (1994). Preventing Tobacco Use Among Young People: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Ghodse, H. (2010). Ghodse’s Drugs and Addictive Behaviour: A Guide to Treatment (4th Ed.). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge up. Johnson, D. L. & Johnson, C.A. (2000). Stop Smoking and Chewing Tobacco for Life Changes. Haverford, PA: Infinity Publishing.com. Satcher, D. & Broome, C.V. (1998).Tobacco Use Among U.S. Racial/Ethnic Minority Groups-African Americans, American Indians and Alaska Natives, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics: A Report of the Surgeon General Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. World Health Organization & IARC. (2007). Smokeless Tobacco and Some Tobacco- specific N-Nitrosamines. Lyon, France: IARC. Read More