What to Keep In Mind: Youth and The Rise of New Tobacco Products

By now, many of us have an idea of what an e-cigarette is (if you don’t, watch this video right now). While this is often perceived and sometimes marketed as a “healthier alternative” to smoking cigarettes, evidence shows that this product, along with other emerging alternates, may be harmful to our health. Though we’ve seen a decline in the U.S. smoking rate we can’t claim victory, yet. E-cigarettes and other new tobacco products are on the rise and are being marketed and designed in ways that heavily appeal to youth.

By "new tobacco" products, we are referring to products that deliver nicotine into the body and are smokeless and spitless. In the US, smokeless tobacco has traditionally been available in the form of chewing tobacco and snuff; however, many new types of products have emerged.

This is Snus:

Snus is a small pouch that looks similar to a teabag, and is full of moist snuff. It is meant to sit inside your mouth between the check and gum and then is discarded after half an hour. There are several flavors of snus, including mint, cinnamon, and “robust.”

Then there’s Orbs, sticks and strips.

These products are finely processed to dissolve on the tongue. They are held together by food-grade binders and look similar to a breath mint or candy. Some products are available in an assortment of flavors such as fresh, mellow, mint or even chocolate. Flavor additives can cover the unpleasant taste and smell of tobacco, making it easier to use and more enticing for youth. The allure of these products is also that they provide a nicotine fix without smoke and they do not require spitting. They can be used discreetly, which is both convenient and attractive to young people.

While such products have yet to gain a substantial following in the U.S., public health advocates caution not to underestimate the power of tobacco marketing, especially when it comes to influencing young people. Though tobacco companies describe these products as a “healthier” and more convenient alternative to cigarettes (usable while on an airplane, for example), these products are not necessarily a “safe” alternative to smoking, and are not regulated by the FDA. Research has shown that the use of smokeless tobacco products by adolescents is associated with early indicators of periodontal degeneration and with lesions in the oral soft tissue. Of course, one of the greatest concerns among these new products is that adolescent smokeless tobacco users are more likely than nonusers to become cigarette smokers.

What should we take into account with the emergence of new tobacco products? In regards to health, it is important to note that the use of smokeless tobacco has been linked to oral health consequences where the product is placed. Smokeless tobacco contains 28 cancer-causing agents. In an effort to prevent and reduce tobacco use among youth, evidence supports mass media campaigns and comprehensive community and statewide tobacco control programs as effective in the prevention and initiation of tobacco use among youth.

To learn more about new tobacco products, follow the Texas Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science on Twitter.

Written by
Amanda Taylor
Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living

Reviewed by 
Cheryl Perry, Ph.D., regional dean of the UT School of Public Health Austin Regional Campus and senior scientific editor of Surgeon General’s Report, Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults, 2012.

MeLisa Creamer, Ph.D., Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living, contributor to Surgeon General’s Report, Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults, 2012. 

Both reviewers additionally serve on the Texas TCORS team.

[Image Sources: flickr/andreashagerman, 
http://openi.nlm.nih.gov/detailedresult.php?img=3123190_1477-7517-8-10-1&req=4. Under a Creative Commons attribution 2.0]