Chewing tobacco is a very common habit among American Major League baseball players, professional cowboys and those who want to quit smoking cigarettes and are looking for an alternative source of nicotine. Although it is quite disgusting for some and still dangerous to health because it causes gum problems and cancer, chewing tobacco is addictive and many "chewers" have great difficulty in quitting.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Purchase the Chewing Tobacco
Step 1. Remember that snuff and chewing tobacco are different
While both are unsuitable for smoking, they are different products.
- Chew is sold in the form of torn, twisted or “compressed” tobacco leaves in cubes and packaged in cans, sold as solid blocks or in sachets. Those who use it put them between the cheek and the gums.
- Snuff is very finely chopped and is sold in tea-like bags or, more commonly, in colored plastic or metal tins. Those who use it put a pinch in the lower part of the nose, inhaling slowly.
- There are many other types of tobacco that are not smoked, such as Snus which is made in Sweden and does not have to be spat out because it dissolves. In fact, it is compressed tobacco powder with a very similar appearance to a hard candy that melts in the mouth.
Step 2. Be very cautious about the various brands available on the market
There are really many, and the price is very variable; you can find very expensive products and others that are too cheap. Here are some of the best known brands:
- Copenhagen: it is a high quality tobacco produced in the United States. It is not suitable for smoking and is the most expensive wet product. It is sold in the form of a fine powder, such as snuff, or in small pieces; various flavors are available such as Natural, Pure, Bourbon, Whiskey and Soft. For those who are just starting out, it is best to start with the chopped version, as it is easier to compact the doses and keep them in your mouth as you get used to chewing them.
- Skoal: is one of the most popular brands, known for its high quality and wide range of flavors including Apple, Peach, Pure and Canadian Tea. Flavors like Apple and Peach are great for those new to chewing tobacco, as they are gentler and less intense.
- Timberwolf: a tobacco with an excellent quality-price ratio.
- Grizzly: It is not considered to be of the highest quality, but it is cheap and has a high nicotine content.
Step 3. Make sure you have proof of age to prove your age and then buy tobacco
Just like cigarettes, the sale of chewing tobacco is also regulated by national laws and you must prove that you are of age.
In 2012, the minimum age for buying tobacco in Italy was raised from 16 to 18, but be careful, if you are abroad, know that 21 years of age are required in some countries
Part 2 of 3: Chew the Tobacco
Step 1. Open the can or pouch of tobacco and smell it
Depending on the aroma you have chosen, it may have a strong or delicate odor. If you are a "beginner" and the smell of tobacco makes you nauseous, consider changing the product or choosing a less intense aroma.
Step 2. Get an empty water bottle
You will need it to spit on it while chewing tobacco.
If you are consuming tobacco outside the home, don't even think about spitting on the ground! In addition to the fact that this is disgusting and rude behavior, in some cities it is punishable by a fine
Step 3. Hold the tobacco tin between your thumb and forefinger
Grab the round edge of the package by forming a sort of crescent with your fingers.
- This way you can shake the box and compact the leaves in the correct way.
- If you bought a pouch of tobacco, pinch the top of it between two fingers.
Step 4. Compact the tobacco
To do this, shake the package between your thumb and forefinger in a vertical motion for about 10 seconds. You will hear the tobacco beating on the walls of the container.
- This step is important because it makes it easier to pinch the dose you want to chew.
- If you have purchased a pouch of tobacco, shake it in a steady vertical motion so the contents are compacted.
- Alternatively, you can tap the package on a hard surface.
Step 5. Check that the tobacco is well pressed
Open the can or bag and check that the contents are well compacted. It should have gathered on one side of the package.
Step 6. With your thumb and forefinger, take a small amount of tobacco from the container
Adjust the amount you take based on how much you like to chew.
If you are a beginner, start with small quantities; a pinch no larger than 3-5 cm or the size of a 5 cent coin is enough. This way you gradually get used to having tobacco in your mouth
Step 7. Place it on one side of the mouth, between the lip and lower teeth
Even if you feel ready to put it in your cheek or behind your teeth, always start with this position because that way the tobacco will stay put and won't break into small pieces that will fill your mouth.
- One technique to prevent tobacco from moving is to press and roll it. Tuck it tight in your mouth and then roll it up with your fingers to keep the leaves from separating.
- If you have trouble holding it, take an empty tea bag (or cut off the top to empty it) and fill it with tobacco. Finally put the sachet in your mouth, between the lip and lower teeth. This trick allows you to keep the tobacco still, but be aware that it alters the flavor.
Step 8. Move the "morsel" in your mouth so you can chew it; be very careful not to swallow any fragments
As soon as you put the tobacco in your mouth, you will start producing a lot of saliva. This is a normal body reaction, as the oils released by tobacco interact with the saliva inside the mouth.
Chew gently so as not to break the leaves and risk swallowing them. The presence of tobacco in your throat or stomach will make you vomit, as well as the fact that you may suffer from other problems in the long term, so avoid this from happening
Step 9. After chewing for a while, spit
Pucker your lips and spit the tobacco juices into the empty bottle.
- As you chew, you will feel the effects of the nicotine contained in tobacco. You will feel a little dizzy, your heartbeat will be faster and you will perceive a general buzz, as well as a tingling sensation in the mouth. The first time, you may also experience nausea and dizziness.
- Make sure you uncap the bottle before spitting. Nobody likes to spit on their shoes or on the floor.
Step 10. Once the flavor has dissolved or if you feel nauseous and dizzy, spit out the tobacco
Take it off with your fingers and, without messing around, throw it in the trash.
Rinse your mouth with water, being very careful not to swallow any tobacco or juice residues. You should also brush your teeth as your breath will smell of tobacco
Part 3 of 3: Knowing the Health Risks
Step 1. Remember that chewing tobacco carries the same health risks as cigarette smoking
Just like any other tobacco product, chewable also contains nicotine that the body absorbs just as it would from cigarettes and in similar quantities.
- Most people who chew tobacco become addicted despite the reputation of a bad habit. Just like with smoking, quitting chewing tobacco leads to withdrawal symptoms that include intense craving for tobacco, increased appetite, irritability and depression.
- Although it was an established habit among players of the past, who chewed tobacco on the pitch, the American league of baseball currently prohibits its use and discourages team assistants from buying it for the players.
- Winger Bill Tuttle is probably the best known player to mention when it comes to the risks associated with chewing tobacco. After thirty years of playing and using tobacco in the professional league, Tuttle developed a tumor so large that it went beyond the tissues of the cheek and spread over the skin. The doctors removed the tumor, the result of decades of this bad habit, but at the same time a large part of the player's face was also removed. Chewing tobacco cost Tuttle his jaw, right cheek, most of his teeth and gums as well as his taste buds. Tuttle died of cancer in 1998, but has spent the rest of his life dissuading people from this habit.
Step 2. Remember that you are at high risk of developing mouth cancer, as well as oral diseases and infections
Chewing tobacco increases the chances of cancer of the mouth, throat, cheeks, gums, lips, and tongue, as well as the pancreas.
- Prolonged use of this product leads to dental caries. Tobacco boluses are very rich in sugar (which contributes to the formation of tooth decay), they also contain abrasive particles that irritate the gums and damage the tooth enamel, weakening them and exposing them to infections and diseases.
- Sugar and the irritating components of tobacco also cause gum retraction, especially in the area where you are used to chewing the bolus. This leads to gum disease which can become very serious and destroy the tissues and bone that support the teeth, with their consequent fall.
- Chewing tobacco increases the risk of developing precancerous lesions in the mouth, called leukoplakias, which can later become cancers.
- Each year, about 30,000 Americans discover they have throat or mouth cancer, and about 8,000 die from these diseases. Only half of those diagnosed with throat or mouth cancer survive for more than five years.
Step 3. Know that there are other diseases related to tobacco use, such as heart disease and stroke
Some types of tobacco that you don't smoke, such as chewing, increase heart rate and blood pressure. Studies have found that prolonged use of chewing tobacco increases the risk of death from stroke or heart disease.
Step 4. If you are trying to quit or don't want to be tempted to chew tobacco, ask for help
Some smokers switch to this product in hopes of reducing their addiction to tobacco, but it is a strategy that rarely works, as chewing is also addictive.
- If you are trying to stop chewing tobacco, talk to your doctor so that he can find other ways to take nicotine (such as patches or chewing gum).
- To reduce your addiction, try chewing substitutes like gum, jerky, hard candy, or dried fruit.
- If you don't want to develop addiction, the best thing to do is not to try tobacco for any reason. Teens who use it are more likely to become smokers in the future.
Advice
- Don't try to kiss anyone while chewing tobacco.
- It is not recommended to chew tobacco in public spaces such as in classrooms or in closed areas such as the grocery store, because smoking is prohibited in these places and the use of chewing tobacco remains a related activity.
