“Through with Chew” Week is planned for February 18 - 22, 2019, with Thursday, February 21, designated as the Great American Spit Out. These annual events call attention to the health risks and dangers associated with smokeless tobacco use.
“Smokeless doesn’t mean harmless. Using any form of tobacco is a health risk,” said Jordyn Schaefbauer with Bismarck-Burleigh Public Health. “There is a misconception that smokeless tobacco products are safer than cigarettes. However, smokeless tobacco products like chew, dip or snuff have been linked to cancers of the mouth, esophagus and pancreas, as well as many other health problems like heart disease.”
Unfortunately, smokeless tobacco use is typically higher for young people in North Dakota than adults. In 2017, North Dakota’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey showed 8.0 percent of North Dakota high school students currently use chew, snuff, snus or dip. This is down from 2015, when 10.6 percent of high school students in the state reported using smokeless tobacco. Though progress is being made, North Dakota’s youth is still reporting higher use of smokeless tobacco than the national average of 5.8 percent (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Bismarck-Burleigh Public Health is proud to help prevent the use of smokeless tobacco, especially among young people, and assist those who are ready to quit.
Reducing the rate of smokeless tobacco use is a top priority for Bismarck-Burleigh Public Health because it reduces the risk of cancer, heart disease, birth defects and even death. Events like “Through with Chew” Week and the Great American Spit Out give us the perfect opportunity to raise awareness and take action against tobacco use, the leading cause of preventable death and disease in North Dakota.
For help with quitting smokeless tobacco, visit ndquits.health.nd.gov.