Could Non Tobacco Chew Be a Better Alternative to Smoking?

Smoking is a habit that millions of people all over the world fall victim to every year. Nicotine is an addictive chemical that’s naturally produced by tobacco plants (and often added to increase the product’s addictive properties) and causes the dependency on tobacco that users experience.

Even with millions taking up smoking every year, general tobacco use has been on the decline for decades. Increased awareness of the harmful effects of smoking, public smoking bans, and laws regarding tobacco ads have swayed public opinion and revealed the true nature of tobacco use. It’s deadly, destructive to the environment, and devastating to public health.

Along comes non-tobacco chew to usurp tobacco’s place and provide a viable alternative to tobacco use. Is it all it’s cracked up to be, or is it just replacing one bad habit with another? In this guide, we’ll look closer at tobacco-free options and compare them with cigarettes and other tobacco products.

Tobacco Free?

Can you really create a viable product that looks, feels, and tastes like tobacco without using any tobacco? The answer is most definitely yes, and companies like Black Buffalo have perfected the art of honoring tradition with a product that’s nearly indistinguishable from chewing tobacco.

You’ll even get the same flavors like wintergreen (and some new ones) that you’re used to. The cut, feel, and taste are almost exactly the same, and the aroma will leave you feeling satisfied with your choice.

With no tobacco, you’ll be using a product that doesn’t contain over 7,000 chemicals (that’s just one cigarette). Tobacco leaves are generally sprayed with chemical fertilizers and pesticides, which stay on the leaves and are largely responsible for many of the adverse effects of cigarettes.

Take pesticides, for example. Federal regulators have been studying the effects of certain pesticides on tobacco products, with disturbing results. Certain pesticides contain deadly poisons like arsenic and hydrogen cyanide. Once sprayed, these chemicals stay on the tobacco leaves throughout the cultivation and curing processes. They also work their way into groundwater and surrounding ecosystems. Given enough time, certain chemicals cause a build-up of radioactive isotopes like uranium.

The tobacco industry is largely responsible for a significant percentage of environmental damage as well, from toxic waste creation to waterway pollution and more. Cigarette butts (filters) are the most littered item across the globe, accounting for millions of tons of waste annually. Scary, right?

Nicotine

Nicotine is one of the most addictive chemicals in the world, among heroin, cocaine, alcohol, and barbiturates. A person using nicotine can become addicted after just a few cigarettes, causing intense cravings and withdrawal symptoms that increase tobacco use over time.

Tobacco actually contains its own natural levels of nicotine. The chemical is produced synthetically as well and can be added into the final product to make the cigarette or chewing tobacco more addictive. While nicotine itself presents only minimal health risks, mostly to teens and developing infants, it’s what keeps you coming back for another cigarette.

Non-tobacco chew and other products do contain nicotine, but there’s one very important difference between tobacco and tobacco-free products: tobacco products contain thousands of harmful chemicals. So, while you may not break your nicotine addiction by using tobacco-free products, you can potentially reduce your risk of developing significant health complications from using cigarettes.

The Benefits Of Quitting

Quitting tobacco for good can immediately reduce your risk of lung and heart disease, cancer, and many other complications. More than half of all tobacco users will either develop a serious health condition or die from the habit. That’s not a very promising future.

There are many benefits to switching to tobacco-free products or quitting altogether. If you choose to put down tobacco for good, you’ll experience:

• Better hearing, vision, and sense of taste
• Clearer skin, fewer wrinkles
• Thinner blood, reducing the risk for clots
• Better lung capacity and general health
• Lower cholesterol
• Significantly lower cancer risk
• Improved heart function
• More energy
• Less anxiety
• Better hygiene

Making the decision to quit is an important one, but you don’t have to ditch nicotine altogether. Some people enjoy the buzz that nicotine creates, and that’s ok, too! Tobacco-free products still offer the same tobacco buzz you’re used to, minus the extra dose of death, disease, and malady.

Conclusion

Overall, non-tobacco chew and other tobacco-free products are a better alternative to smoking that most others. With no tobacco, you won’t be exposed to harmful chemicals, and you won’t be under the thumb of the tobacco industry any longer. Take back control of your health and your life by taking tobacco out of the equation entirely! There are dozens of tobacco-free options available, so you’ll be able to find your preferred variety and put the cigarettes down.

 

Feature Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay