Many smokers are unable to quit smoking through complete nicotine and tobacco abstinence, and conventional quit-smoking programs generally present smokers with two unpleasant alternatives: quit or die.Many smokers are unable to quit smoking through complete nicotine and tobacco abstinence, and conventional quit-smoking programs generally present smokers with two unpleasant alternatives: quit or die.
A third approach to smoking cessation, tobacco harm reduction, involves the use of alternative sources of nicotine, including modern smokeless tobacco (ST) products. Switching from cigarette smoking to using ST reduces the risk of many smoking-related diseases, including oral cancer. A substantial body of research, much of it produced over the past decade, establishes the scientific basis for the use of ST products as a means of reducing harm from tobacco.
This two-page brochure summarizes ACSH research on the subject. For more in-depth information, please see the ACSH publication Helping Smokers Quit: A Role for Smokeless Tobacco? by Kathleen Meister, as well as "Helping Smokers Quit: The Science Behind Tobacco Harm Reduction," by Dr. Brad Rodu.
