Smokeless Tobacco/ Risk Reduction

Daniel L. Lurker said:

There has been some evidence that patients who switch from
cigarette smoking to smokeless tobacco products
substantially decrease their risk of mortality. Has anyone
had exposure to patients who have embraced this strategy?
I am curious about patient experiences, as well as general
reactions to the concept.

This may be true, but it's not an approach I'd use.
Smokeless tobacco is still a potent carcinogen to
any tissues it contacts. I'm a dentist, so I'm not
familiar with the carcinogenesis stats for upper
respiratory cancers for inhaled snuff, but chewing
tobacco is truly awful stuff. I've heard of oral
cancers after just a few years of use. The other
issue is the addiction issue--chemical dependence
vs. the oral habit itself. Since there are
medically supervised nicotine aids to smoking
cessation that don't have the tars and other
carcinogens, and since the mode of nicotine
administration is changing anyway, why wouldn't you
opt for a medically safer switch?

Good luck, Steve

Daniel L. Lurker said:

There has been some evidence that patients who switch from
cigarette smoking to smokeless tobacco products
substantially decrease their risk of mortality. Has anyone
had exposure to patients who have embraced this strategy?
I am curious about patient experiences, as well as general
reactions to the concept.

This may be true, but it's not an approach I'd use.
Smokeless tobacco is still a potent carcinogen to
any tissues it contacts. I'm a dentist, so I'm not
familiar with the carcinogenesis stats for upper
respiratory cancers for inhaled snuff, but chewing
tobacco is truly awful stuff. I've heard of oral
cancers after just a few years of use. The other
issue is the addiction issue--chemical dependence
vs. the oral habit itself. Since there are
medically supervised nicotine aids to smoking
cessation that don't have the tars and other
carcinogens, and since the mode of nicotine
administration is changing anyway, why wouldn't you
opt for a medically safer switch?

Good luck, Steve

"Daniel L. Lurker" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

There has been some evidence that patients who switch from
cigarette smoking to smokeless tobacco products
substantially decrease their risk of mortality.

What evidence? There is nothing about that here:
nlm.nih.govsmokelesstobacco.htmlOpen ↗

We have a cousin in his early forties who has had half
of his jaw removed due to cancer (from smoking and
smokeless tobacco)... sure, he is still alive, but in a
great deal of pain.

Has anyone had exposure to patients who have

Quoted message said:

embraced this strategy? I am curious about patient
experiences, as well as general reactions to the concept.

"Daniel L. Lurker" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

There has been some evidence that patients who switch from
cigarette smoking to smokeless tobacco products
substantially decrease their risk of mortality.

What evidence? There is nothing about that here:
nlm.nih.govsmokelesstobacco.htmlOpen ↗

We have a cousin in his early forties who has had half
of his jaw removed due to cancer (from smoking and
smokeless tobacco)... sure, he is still alive, but in a
great deal of pain.

Has anyone had exposure to patients who have

Quoted message said:

embraced this strategy? I am curious about patient
experiences, as well as general reactions to the concept.

Steven Bornfeld <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Daniel L. Lurker said:

There has been some evidence that patients who switch
from cigarette smoking to smokeless tobacco products
substantially decrease their risk of mortality. Has
anyone had exposure to patients who have embraced this
strategy? I am curious about patient experiences, as
well as general reactions to the concept.

This may be true, but it's not an approach I'd use.
Smokeless tobacco is still a potent carcinogen to
any tissues it contacts. I'm a dentist, so I'm not
familiar with the carcinogenesis stats for upper
respiratory cancers for inhaled snuff, but chewing
tobacco is truly awful stuff. I've heard of oral
cancers after just a few years of use. The other
issue is the addiction issue--chemical dependence
vs. the oral habit itself. Since there are medically
supervised nicotine aids to smoking cessation that
don't have the tars and other carcinogens, and since
the mode of nicotine administration is changing
anyway, why wouldn't you opt for a medically safer
switch?

Good luck, Steve

Steve, Are there different types of smokeless tobacco and do
any particular types offer less potential for cancer? Do you
have any idea what in the smokeless tobacco is carcinogenic?

Amy Lyn R.N.