When mixed with our saliva, smokeless tobacco forms an acid that, over time, damages tissue. Twenty-eight of the 3,000 components in tobacco are known to be carcinogens. The risk of mouth cancer in smokeless tobacco users is four times greater than normal. In general, pipe and plug forms of tobacco contain the most sugar. Sugar can cause dental problems and health problems for diabetics.
Smokeless tobacco is just as addicting as cigarettes because it also contains nicotine.
Laboratory tests have shown that smokeless tobacco products have very high nicotine levels, and snuff users often have higher concentrations of nicotine in their blood than regular smokers. When a normal smokeless tobacco user holds the tobacco in their mouth for 20 to 30 minutes, they absorb two to three times more nicotine than a person who smokes. A person who uses a tin of snuff a day gets the same amount of nicotine as a heavy smoker who smokes 30 to 40 cigarettes a day. The addictive power of nicotine is what keeps smokeless tobacco users coming back for more. Nicotine is absorbed directly into the bloodstream through the walls of the mouth and gums, and then travels to the brain.