Too paranoid about the health risks

[jdman321]

I have been smoking cigarettes for about 4-5 years and quit thanks to snus (occasional ecig too). I know smoking is worse than snus, and have noticed my breathing getting better and all that but I'm still a little paranoid.

I have a mild case of gum recession/gingivitis as it is but recently got a very high fluoride toothpaste from my dentist and since then my gums have stopped bleeding and are a lot less sensitive.

I know of all the studies saying real snus hasn't increased the cases of oral cancer but it just...seems too good to be true ya know? Right now I'm monitoring my gums where I put the snus to see if there's any increased redness or anything like that.

[deuser]

oh believe me, im in the same boat. I quit smoking like 8 years ago and havent dipped in that long also. My buddy keeps telling me that snus has no link to oral and lung cancer but i still think its tobacco and people get cancer from it , so im paranoid sometimes.

[lxskllr]

That's the cool thing about science. Bullshit is routed by the community. Science says you don't get oral cancer from snus, and I'm good with that.

[Mykislt]

I'm paranoid about gum recession. I check my gums everyday. I only get paranoid about oral cancer if I get a sore on my lip, which always goes away.

[precious007]

From Wikipedia

Health consequences



Warning label on a container of swedish snus, the text reads: "This tobacco product may affect your health negatively and is addictive".
Since snus is not intended nor recommended for inhalation, it does not affect the lungs as cigarettes do. Because it is steam-cured, rather than fire-cured like smoking tobacco or other chewing tobacco, it contains lower concentrations of nitrosamines and other carcinogens that form from the partially anaerobic heating of proteins; 2.8 parts per mil for Ettan brand compared to as high as 127.9 parts per mil in some American brands, according to a study by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Health.[4] The World Health Organization (WHO) acknowledges that Swedish men have the lowest rate of lung cancer in Europe, partly due to the low tobacco smoking rate, but does not argue for substituting snus for smoking, citing that the effects of snus still remain unclear. Around 2005 several reports, partially funded by the snus industry, pointed to the fact that no carcinogenic effects could be attributed to Nordic snus and this resulted in the removal of the warning label that claimed snus could cause cancer. It was replaced with the more vague label "Can affect your health negatively". Research is still going on but at the moment no conclusive reports have been made regarding the health effects of snus.
Many cardiologists believe that nicotine products (oral) contribute to the potentiation of sympathetic nerve tone , and may aggravate hypertension due to the effects of nicotine on cholinergic and dopaminergic neurotransmission. At higher doses, tachycardia and reflex bradycardia can also occur , trigerring serious arrythmias or even cardiac arrest in sensitive individuals . Further studies are needed in this regard.
The European Union banned the sale of snus in 1992, after a 1985 WHO study concluded that "oral use of snuffs of the types used in North America and western Europe is carcinogenic to humans", but a WHO committee on tobacco has also acknowledged that evidence is inconclusive regarding health consequences for snus consumers.[3]. Only Sweden and EFTA-member Norway are exempt from this ban. A popular movement during the run-up to the 1994 referendum for Sweden's EU membership made exemption from the EU sale ban of snus a condition of the membership treaty.
Recent actions by many European governments to limit the use of cigarettes has led to calls to lift the ban on snus, as it is generally considered to be less harmful than cigarette smoke, both to the user[5] and to others.

[precious007]

From Wikipedia

Health consequences



Warning label on a container of swedish snus, the text reads: "This tobacco product may affect your health negatively and is addictive".
Since snus is not intended nor recommended for inhalation, it does not affect the lungs as cigarettes do. Because it is steam-cured, rather than fire-cured like smoking tobacco or other chewing tobacco, it contains lower concentrations of nitrosamines and other carcinogens that form from the partially anaerobic heating of proteins; 2.8 parts per mil for Ettan brand compared to as high as 127.9 parts per mil in some American brands, according to a study by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Health.[4] The World Health Organization (WHO) acknowledges that Swedish men have the lowest rate of lung cancer in Europe, partly due to the low tobacco smoking rate, but does not argue for substituting snus for smoking, citing that the effects of snus still remain unclear. Around 2005 several reports, partially funded by the snus industry, pointed to the fact that no carcinogenic effects could be attributed to Nordic snus and this resulted in the removal of the warning label that claimed snus could cause cancer. It was replaced with the more vague label "Can affect your health negatively". Research is still going on but at the moment no conclusive reports have been made regarding the health effects of snus.
Many cardiologists believe that nicotine products (oral) contribute to the potentiation of sympathetic nerve tone , and may aggravate hypertension due to the effects of nicotine on cholinergic and dopaminergic neurotransmission. At higher doses, tachycardia and reflex bradycardia can also occur , trigerring serious arrythmias or even cardiac arrest in sensitive individuals . Further studies are needed in this regard.
The European Union banned the sale of snus in 1992, after a 1985 WHO study concluded that "oral use of snuffs of the types used in North America and western Europe is carcinogenic to humans", but a WHO committee on tobacco has also acknowledged that evidence is inconclusive regarding health consequences for snus consumers.[3]. Only Sweden and EFTA-member Norway are exempt from this ban. A popular movement during the run-up to the 1994 referendum for Sweden's EU membership made exemption from the EU sale ban of snus a condition of the membership treaty.
Recent actions by many European governments to limit the use of cigarettes has led to calls to lift the ban on snus, as it is generally considered to be less harmful than cigarette smoke, both to the user[5] and to others.

Here's an interesting article to read.........

Is Smokeless Safer? by Valerie Reitman

Here's you go, if you're snusing, chewing, or dipping or snuffing you're difinitelly 1000 times safer than with smoking :^)

Nevertheless, snus is outlawed by the rest of the European Union countries, while cigarettes are widely sold and remain quite popular, an irony not lost on some European healthcare providers. In a December 2002 report titled "Protecting Smokers, Saving Lives," Britain's Royal College of Physicians concluded that "the consumption of noncombustible tobacco is on the order of 10 to 1,000 times less hazardous than smoking, depending on the product."

And to add something to the whole discussion, smoking might not kill you right of the bat, but it's a slow and painful death........... both of my grandparents have died of respiratory failure due to lung cancer from smoking........ both at 72 - 76 years old but they could have lived at least another ten years if they didn't smoke and used oral tobacco (it wasn't available in Romania anyways) but just saying................

Using oral tobacco is 1000 times less dangerous than smoking ....... SNUS is harmless as a sidenote :^)

[WickedKitchen]

But you had better watch out for the ones that have that there fiberglass in them. They put it into some of them to make minuscule tears in your gums so the nicotine and poisons hit you faster. Those little cuts also allow the cancer to get in maaaaaaaaaaaan. The dental industry is promoting the snus as safer 'cos they know it really kills the teeth by the roots and they'll have more customers in the future. Don't let them fool you...snus has the creeper cancer so even if you quit now you still may develop it in the decades to come. We're all sentenced to death by these little sachets...oh, and if you use los, that's just the fast lane 'cos there's no paper filter barrier between your gums and that evil plant that should be eradicated from existence for all the pain and suffering it has caused humanity. Check your gums daily...for the children.

[Premium Parrots]

But you had better watch out for the ones that have that there fiberglass in them. They put it into some of them to make minuscule tears in your gums so the nicotine and poisons hit you faster. Those little cuts also allow the cancer to get in maaaaaaaaaaaan. The dental industry is promoting the snus as safer 'cos they know it really kills the teeth by the roots and they'll have more customers in the future. Don't let them fool you...snus has the creeper cancer so even if you quit now you still may develop it in the decades to come. We're all sentenced to death by these little sachets...oh, and if you use los, that's just the fast lane 'cos there's no paper filter barrier between your gums and that evil plant that should be eradicated from existence for all the pain and suffering it has caused humanity. Check your gums daily...for the children.

Dam Wicked you forgot the most important part of the warning.........

Women that use snus are generally more predisposed to Blue Waffle disease.

Tho, that could be a good or bad thing depending upon your "personal" tastes

[precious007]

Dam Wicked you forgot the most important part of the warning.........

Women that use snus are generally more predisposed to Blue Waffle disease.

Tho, that could be a good or bad thing depending upon your "personal" tastes

is that when the "waffle" turns blue ? :^)

[GoVegan]

If you want to feel better about it just google something like "oral cancer caused by chewing tobacco or smoking". You will find 100's if not thousands of personal accounts, along with pictures, of people who got oral cancer from smoking or chewing tobacco. Then google something like "oral cancer caused by snus". You will be hard pressed to find any pictures or personal stories of someone who got cancer from snus even though it has been around for 200 years.

I don't believe for a minute that snus is entirely safe but I look at it like this. Smoking or chewing is like driving 20 miles over the speed limit without using a seat belt after you drank a 6 pack. Using snus is like driving cautiously in a Volvo wagon while using a seat belt.

[nicodude]

I wonder sometimes, I am one of few that actually pays absolutely no attention whatsoever to my gums and teeth, and doesn't use special toothpaste and stuff. I put my portions in the exact same place day after day and haven't noticed any recession or bleeding or decay, absolutely no sign that I use snus at all.

If using snus worries you that much, maybe you should switch over to nicorette or something, though I believe that the TSNA level is similar to snus.

[GoVegan]

You might also try Northerner snus. I am not sure what the TSNA level is but I am fairly certain that it is quite low.

[jdman321]

I HAVE to quit the second I'm in boot camp soon, the problem isn't quitting, the problem is I ENJOY tobacco. And snus is new to me. It would be like if your lungs were on the outside of your body and you could see the smoke going through them. For me personally, it's just the fact that I can see exactly where I put the tobacco, compared to smoking where you couldn't see what was happening. Hard to explain.

[GoVegan]

I HAVE to quit the second I'm in boot camp soon, the problem isn't quitting, the problem is I ENJOY tobacco. And snus is new to me. It would be like if your lungs were on the outside of your body and you could see the smoke going through them. For me personally, it's just the fact that I can see exactly where I put the tobacco, compared to smoking where you couldn't see what was happening. Hard to explain.

Boot camp might be a great opportunity to quit nicotine altogether. We were allowed to smoke 3-5 cigarettes a day when I went through but smoking was also the first thing drill sergeants would take away if something was not done to their liking. You can bet that the smokers were the ones ensuring that bunks were made room and the barracks were clean. It was nothing for the drill sergeants to completely ban smoking for several days at a time. Looking back, I really should have used that as an opportunity to quit. Instead, I clung to my habit and couldn't wait to smoke an entire pack when I graduated. Take full advantage of the opportunity you will have. I can guarantee that exercise will replace your tobacco habit when you are in boot camp. The trick is to keep it up after you are done.

[precious007]

I HAVE to quit the second I'm in boot camp soon, the problem isn't quitting, the problem is I ENJOY tobacco. And snus is new to me. It would be like if your lungs were on the outside of your body and you could see the smoke going through them. For me personally, it's just the fact that I can see exactly where I put the tobacco, compared to smoking where you couldn't see what was happening. Hard to explain.

it's not hard to explain ... the fact that you actually get to feel and taste the tobacco in your lip ..... unlike with cigarettes that don't even have a flavor..... that's not real tobacco... it's tobacco smoke lol .....

I often link snus or dip to food ...... It's like enjoying some kind of delicious food ..... don't you guys?