While the use of smokeless tobacco products may be a way for adults to lower the risk associated with smoking minors may be interpreting the reports of lower risk as evidence for their safe use. Is it safe for minors to be using smokeless tobacco products? Is the research associated with adult use of smokeless tobacco products applicable to minors?
Thanks for your response.
Because most of the more serious tobacco related health effects occur after decades of use, research tends to concentrate on the older user. The major danger that accompanies tobacco use earlier in life is not so much health related but rather the possibility that they will continue to use tobacco. Whatever we write, many young people will try tobacco and some of them will quit of their own accord and others will not.
We understand the concern that our message might lead some people to use smokeless tobacco, people who might otherwise never would have used any tobacco but we cannot control that. We do not promote smokeless tobacco as a safe product but simply as a safer alternative for smokers.
Most of our readers reside in areas where minors cannot legally purchase tobacco products of any kind. This is as it should be. If, as some minors do, they illegally procure and use tobacco, better even then that they use the safer rather than the more dangerous product.