Carcinogens in Snuff Rattle Notion of Safe Use
Carcinogens in Snuff Rattle Notion of Safe UseA new study that explores the spit tobacco product called moist snuff—placed between lip and gum—has led scientists in Minnesota to urge the tobacco industry to change manufacturing practices to reduce snuff’s
Carcinogens in Snuff Shake Up Notion of Safe Use
A new study that explores the spit tobacco product called moist snuff—placed between lip and gum—has led scientists in Minnesota to urge the tobacco industry to change manufacturing practices to reduce snuff’s content of carcinogens.
Their study is published online in American Chemical Society’s monthly journal Chemical Research in Toxicology, and reports that this category of tobacco products contains “…surprisingly high levels of certain toxic and cancer-causing substances.” The substances the study refers to, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), may contribute to carcinogenic effects associated with spit tobacco use.
Irina Stepanov, PhD, a research associate at the University of Minnesota Cancer Center, led a team of colleagues through the study. A report from the group notes that use of moist snuff increased by almost 80 fold between 1986-2003, partially because of the notion among users that it is safer then cigarettes. While spit tobacco use is indeed associated with lower risk of cancer compared to cigarette smoking, it can lead to precancerous oral lesions and oral, esophageal, and pancreatic cancer.
Only trace amounts of one of the PAHs has been reported present in spit tobacco prior to the Minnesota researchers’ discovery, which revealed that at least eight PAHs are present in spit tobacco. This finding inspired the new research.
The scientists analyzed the PAHs in 23 moist snuff samples that included various flavors of the most popular brands sold in the United States. They identified 23 different PAHs in the samples, of which nine are classified as carcinogens. They conclude that PAHs are one of the most abundant groups of cancer-causing substances in moist snuff.
“Urgent measures are required from the United States tobacco industry to modify manufacturing processes so that the levels of these toxicants and carcinogens in U.S. moist snuff are greatly reduced,” the researchers note in their study.
Source: American Chemical Society
