What makes chewing tobacco bad for you

Many people think cigars are less harmful to their health. But cigars actually pose the same risk for oral cancer as cigarettes do.

Many cigar smokers don't inhale. But their risk for oral, throat, and esophageal cancers is the same as for cigarette smokers. Consider these facts:. Compared with nonsmokers, regular cigar smokers are 4 to 10 times more likely to die from oral cancer, esophageal cancer, and laryngeal cancer.

Cigar smokers may spend an hour or more smoking 1 large cigar that can contain the same amount of nicotine as a full pack of cigarettes. And even unlit cigars, when held in the mouth for an extended period of time, promote nicotine absorption. Secondhand smoke from cigars contain toxins and cancer-causing agents carcinogens similar to secondhand cigarette smoke, but in higher concentrations.

The American Cancer Society and the American Lung Association offer the following tips if you are trying to quit using tobacco products:.

Health Home Conditions and Diseases. Cigars and pipes Cigars and pipes are often believed to be a less harmful way to smoke tobacco. Chewing tobacco and snuff Spit tobacco, also known as chewing tobacco and snuff, are forms of tobacco that are put between the cheek and gum. How do cigarettes and cigars compare? Consider these facts: Compared with nonsmokers, regular cigar smokers are 4 to 10 times more likely to die from oral cancer, esophageal cancer, and laryngeal cancer. On This Page. Using smokeless tobacco: Can lead to nicotine addiction 1,2 Causes cancer of the mouth, esophagus the passage that connects the throat to the stomach , and pancreas a gland that helps with digestion and maintaining proper blood sugar levels 1,2 Is associated with diseases of the mouth 1,3 Can increase risks for early delivery and stillbirth when used during pregnancy 2 Can cause nicotine poisoning in children 4 May increase the risk for death from heart disease and stroke 1,3.

Using smokeless products can cause serious health problems. If you do use them, quit. Addiction to Smokeless Tobacco. Smokeless tobacco contains nicotine, which is highly addictive. Smokeless Tobacco and Cancer. Smokeless Tobacco and Oral Disease. Smokeless tobacco can cause white or gray patches inside the mouth leukoplakia that can lead to cancer.

Reproductive and Developmental Risks. Using smokeless tobacco during pregnancy can increase the risk for early delivery and stillbirth. Other Risks. Using smokeless tobacco increases the risk for death from heart disease and stroke. Users put tobacco leaves into their mouth and suck on them instead of smoking them in cigarettes.

Smokeless tobacco users place snuff or chewing tobacco between their inner cheek and gums on the lower part of their jaw and suck on the tobacco juices. Users spit often because the saliva builds up while tobacco is in their mouths.

This sucking and chewing allows nicotine to get into the bloodstream through the gums, without the need to swallow the tobacco juices. Smokeless tobacco has been around for hundreds of years. It became more popular in the U. But nicotine is in all forms of tobacco. This chemical is so addictive that nicotine addiction often starts after the first use.

People addicted to nicotine need more of it to get the same feeling as the first time.