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10-07-2007, 7:33 PM Anonymous fiberglass Hi i read this at quitsmokeless.org is this true. Dipping into danger Marketing promotions targeting college-aged males have the use of smokeless tobacco on the rise. By JON MORROW, Missourian staff October 13, 2000 The nicotine in dipping tobacco is delivered in a unique process. After the tobacco is in the user’s mouth, tiny shards of fiberglass within the dip cut the lip and more effectively deliver the nicotine. This process is often accompanied by a sharp burning sensation in the mouth.

10-09-2007, 2:49 PM admin Joined on 12-06-2005 Posts 114 Re: fiberglass No, the fiberglass thing is a complete myth.  We have never seen any evidence that this is true, though it gets repeated by anti-smokeless-tobacco activists who are not too concerned about whether they are telling the truth.  Nicotine is absorbed quite well through intact mucosa (the inside surface of your mouth), so there would be absolutely no reason to do this.  It is all part of this myth that anti-tobacco activists want to perpetuate about tobacco companies *trying* to hurt their customers, which is just silly.  Furthmore, it actually seems more likely that creating holes in the mucosa, and thus bleeding, would interfere with absorption rather than promote.    Report

12-01-2007, 9:27 PM Anonymous Re: fiberglass "We have never seen any evidence that this is true," Well do we have any evidence that this is _not_ true? How hard can it be for a scientist to analyze several brands of chew for fiberglass?

12-10-2007, 8:59 AM admin Joined on 12-06-2005 Posts 114 Re: fiberglass Perhaps we were not specific enough.  No analyses, that we know of, of smokeless tobacco have found any fibreglass.  Clear enough?    Report

01-13-2008, 9:31 PM Anonymous Re: fiberglass If ST doesn't have any fiberglass, why does it burn inside your lip and seemingly cut it up? ST alternatives such as Smokey Mountain or Mint Snuff don't seem to burn or leave your lip all cut up...

01-14-2008, 9:31 AM admin Joined on 12-06-2005 Posts 114 Re: fiberglass You may want to visit a doctor and get your mouth checked out if only for your peace of mind because that is not a normal reaction to having smokeless tobacco in your mouth. Being cut by smokeless tobacco is next to impossible.  As for burning, many foods, like curries, can give you a burn but it certainly doesn't indicate fiberglass is in them.  It is possible that you may have some sort of allergy to some ingredient in smokeless tobacco but no tests have ever found fibreglass in smokeless tobacco.  My question to you would be why do you use something that you think hurts you?  Most people would quit.    Report

01-14-2008, 12:45 PM Anonymous Re: fiberglass http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070823205242AA7yBzN&show=7 Like this guy wondering why it burns... I do think that after a while your lip gets used to it and no longer burns, but if you only chew every once in a while it burns every time. At least, that is what I've seen and experienced myself. Maybe its the brand? Skoal and Copenhangen Long-cut styles is what all my friends chew. I *have* stopped chewing, but I find all this talk about it being a close-to-completely-safe product interesting. Don't you agree that chew can at least cause gum recession and tooth decay? If so, maybe that's why it burns...cuz it's slowly damaging your gums. I understand that you're probably getting quite sick of all these posts from people challenging you with their own insecurities about ST and having to lecture them every time!

01-14-2008, 1:50 PM admin Joined on 12-06-2005 Posts 114 Re: fiberglass Neither us nor anyone else will claim that using smokeless tobacco is good for your mouth.  It does irritate the tissues and there will often be a burn and given constant use leukoplakia can form.  Since chewing tobacco is cured in sugar, it can be a factor in tooth decay.  If tobacco is placed in the same spot every time, it could cause gum recession or exacerbate existing conditions. All we are saying is that though it is not good for your mouth, it is not as hard on it (or as risky in general) as smoking.    Report

01-14-2008, 2:25 PM Anonymous Re: fiberglass I completely understand your point about it being safer than cigarettes and I notice you always have to keep coming back to that with everybodys posts. I just continued to post about this because I thought it was crazy to hear you say it's not normal to feel a burning sensation with chewing tobacco between the lip and gum given I've heard of that so often with people who chew.  I mean, the entire myth behind "fiberglass" in chew is because it burns your lip (some brands more than others).  Friends will put in a dip and say, "aw god this one burns, this stuff has a ton of fiberglass!" And if you pull down a dipper lip, you will see its irritated.  Obviously, they are going to feel it.

01-15-2008, 9:22 AM admin Joined on 12-06-2005 Posts 114 Re: fiberglass If you read our responses you will see that we said it was not normal to be "cut up".  Using smokeless tobacco can cause a burning sensation for some users.  But again, that has nothing to do with fibreglass; fibreglass is just one of those persistent myths that people can't seem to let go.  Do these same people think a hot chili pepper has fibreglass in it?  They should, because chili peppers have as much fibreglass as smokeless tobacco does. This is one of those really bizarre beliefs because there is not concievable reason how it could benefit the producers.  People make products that are harmful but the harm comes from uncontrolled effects of constituents that are there for another purpose.  Sugar is not good for the teeth, and too much is bad for general health, but it is put into foods because it makes them sweet, and people want sweet.  The only thing adding fibreglass would do would be to alienate your customers, to actually damage them, and that is the surest way of going out of business.  It makes about as much sense as the manufacturers deliberately making their product taste bad.    Report

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