A lot of athletes get hooked before they know the facts about dip and chew. They don't know that spit tobacco:
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 lid on this addiction. There are no benefits of using spit tobacco. In a Major League Baseball poll, not one player who used dip 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 for you?
These are just some of the ingredients in dip and chew. Spit tobacco is not a safe alternative to cigarettes. The toxic chemicals can damage your gums. They also can cause cancer. |
Even if you don't know the harm dip and chew can do, your body does.
Up to a certain point, if you quit, your body can heal itself... but the longer you use spit tobacco, the bigger
your risk of getting cancer. You don't have to dip for 30 years to get cancer! Quit while you're still
ahead of the game.
Don't let it be too late. Chewing tobacco and snuff can cause mouth and throat cancer. There are some athletes who have developed mouth cancer after only 6 or 7 years of using spit tobacco. It's hard to cure because it spreads fast. If not caught right away, major surgery is often needed to take out parts of your mouth, jaw, and tongue. |
Check you mouth often. Look closely at places where you hold the tobacco.
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Stay in the GameYour doctor, dentist, trainer, or coach can help you quit. The best way to quit is to have a plan. The game plan in Spit Tobacco: A Guide for Quitting can make quitting easier.
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For a free copy of this guide and quitting advice, call 1-800-4-CANCER, or order Spit Tobacco: A Guide for Quitting On-Line.
For additional copies of this booklet contact:
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research |
This publication is not copyrighted. Make as many photocopies as you need.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
National Institutes of Health
Printed January 2000