To reduce the health effects of using smokeless tobacco products, the best thing to do is to quit.
Public health authorities do not endorse using smokeless tobacco products less frequently or switching to lower nicotine smokeless tobacco products as a satisfactory way of reducing health risks. Public health authorities have also determined that smokeless tobacco products are not a safe alternative to smoking.
It can be difficult to quit using smokeless tobacco products, and many smokeless tobacco users who try to quit do not succeed. Many smokeless tobacco users in the United States and around the world have succeeded in quitting, however.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), quitting smokeless tobacco products is a lot like stopping smoking.
QuitAssist®, a free information resource offered by Philip Morris USA, helps connect smokers who have decided to quit to a wealth of expert quitting information from public health authorities and others. To learn more, visit QuitAssist®. You may also click on the links to obtain specific information on quitting smokeless tobacco product use directly from U.S. government and other public health organizations.
In addition, there are many organizations that offer information, counseling and other services focusing on how to quit using tobacco products, including smokeless tobacco, and where to go for help. Other good resources include your doctor, dentist, local hospital or employer. The national quitline network (1-800-QUITNOW) can put those who use tobacco products, including smokeless products, in touch with programs that can help them quit.
