Is Dissolvable Tobacco Safer Than Smoking Cigarettes?

A new type of "tobacco" has entered the market. Manufacturers are testing dissolvable tobacco products in several markets in the Midwest in hopes of drawing nicotine-hungry buyers away from cigarettes, so smokers can get their nicotine fix from small pieces of candy shaped like tic tacs. But are these products any safer than puffing on a cigarette?

Dissolvable Tobacco Products: What's in Them?

Dissolvable tobacco products are sold in packaging that looks like a container of breath mints. Users place the candy-shaped tobacco product between the cheek and the gum or directly - and allow it to dissolve and release its nicotine. You can also buy dissolvable tobacco as a strip that fits under your tongue - and in the form of a toothpick. The idea the manufacturers of these products are promoting is that these "candies" are a safer substitute for cigarettes.

Each dissolvable tobacco "candy" is made of tobacco that has been milled into a fine powder and held together by binders. Because they're made from milled tobacco, they contain nicotine, but they contain less than what you'd get from smoking a cigarette.

Dissolvable tobacco hasn't been extensively researched, but there's concern that these products may increase the risk of disease of the mouth, tooth decay, gum disease and, possibly cancer. Dissolvable tobacco products also contain coumarin, an ingredient that's toxic to the liver and kidneys.

Perhaps the biggest concern is that dissolvable tobacco products will get into the hands of children - which they already have. According to a study published in the journal Pediatrics and discussed on Medscape.com, smoke-free tobacco products are the second most common cause of tobacco poisoning in children. They point out that dissolvable tobacco products contain an un-ionized form of nicotine, which makes it more rapidly absorbed - and potentially more toxic.

Children find the packaging to be appealing since it resembles candy. Eating these dissolvable tobacco "candies" boosts the desire for more nicotine - and an addiction is born. Manufacturers are subtly altering their packaging to make it more appealing to the younger crowd.

Dissolvable Tobacco: The Bottom Line?

Dissolvable tobacco may increase the risk of disease of the mouth and gums - and it could lead to nicotine poisoning in children who get their hands on it. It's another attempt for the tobacco companies to keep their faltering foothold on the market.

References:

Indiana Tobacco Prevention and Cessation. "Dissolvable Tobacco Products: A New Threat"

Eurekalert.org. "New Dissolvable Tobacco Products May Increase Risk of Mouth Disease"

Medscape.com. "New Types of Smokeless Tobacco Pose a Growing Threat to Youth"