Helping Smokers Quit: A Role for Smokeless Tobacco?

This report provides a description of traditional and modern smokeless tobacco products. It reviews the epidemiologic evidence for low health risks associated with smokeless use, both in absolute terms and in comparison to the much higher risks of smoking. The report also describes evidence that smokeless tobacco has served as an effective substitute for cigarettes among Swedish men, who consequently have among the lowest smoking-related mortality rates in the developed world. The report documents the fact that extensive misinformation about smokeless tobacco products is widely available from ostensibly reputable sources, including governmental health agencies and major health organizations.