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Gruen Von Behren's story

"Spit tobacco has ruined my life," said Gruen Von Behrens. "Every time I turn around they are putting me in the hospital either to have surgery or some kind of treatment. If I had known then what I know now, I never would have put a dip in my mouth. Spit tobacco seemed harmless, but in reality it was more than I could handle." Von Behrens is a 26-year-old cancer survivor who has had almost 30 disfiguring surgeries to save his life, including one radical surgery that removed half his neck muscles and lymph nodes, and half of his tongue. Like too many teenagers, Von Behrens first tried spit tobacco at age 13 to "fit in".
The aspiring ball player was 17 when he was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma. The Stewardson, Illinois, native now travels and shares the real life consequences of his own spit tobacco use with the public on behalf of Oral Health America’s National Spit Tobacco education Program (NSTEP). Please visit their website to learn more:
Courtesy of http://nstep.org.
 
Danger Spit Tobacco (Also know as Snuff and Chewing Tobacco)
• Back to Smoking and Oral Health

Athletes are hooked before they know it ...
smokeless does not mean harmless!

The facts about snuff and chew:

  • Not a safe alternative to cigarettes
  • Highly addictive
  • Contains nicotine
  • Doesn’t help athletic performance

Addiction is one tough opponent. It doesn’t take long to get hooked. In fact, you get more nicotine from spit tobacco than from cigarettes. To get unhooked, you have to know what you’re up against and you need a game plan. Once you’re hooked, it’s hard to keep a lid on this addiction.

There are no benefits of using spit tobacco. In a professional sporting poll, not one player who used snuff or chew said that the tobacco improved his game or sharpened his reflexes.

Scientists agree, spit tobacco does not improve athletic performance.

What’s really in it?

  • Nicotine
  • Nuclear waste
  • Formaldehyde (embalming fluid)
  • Cancer-causing chemicals
  • Arsenic (rat poison)

The effects of spit tobacco:

  • Cancer of mouth, throat and stomach
  • Heart disease, stroke
  • Emphysema
  • Tooth decay
  • Tooth abrasion
  • Gum disease
  • Chronic bad breath
  • Stained teeth

Spit tobacco reality alert:

  • Children are stating as young as 9 years of age.
  • Chewing 5 times a day is equal to the same amount of nicotine as someone who smokes a pack a day.

Using smokeless tobacco can lead to the development of white leathery patches in the mouth that can lead to cancer.

If you notice anything unusual, see your dentist or doctor right away.

Save Your Life – Spit It Out 

 

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