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

Spit tobacco reality alert:

• Children are starting 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.

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