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Mint Snuff –
10/11/05
Q: Please let me know if your program is
promoting mint snuff (a non-tobacco edible chew made of mint)
as an alternative to chew/snuff and/or if you know of any
contraindication for using the product.
A:
- Alabama: We do not currently use this
product in our program, but have distributed samples in
the past. We know of no contraindications to mint snuff.
We no longer offer samples due to budget constraints, but
the product was well-received by Alabama smokeless users
who were trying to quit.
- Ohio: The Tobacco Use Prevention and
Control Foundation haven't endorsed this product, but we
do have a few grantees that offer mint snuff as a replacement
for highly addicted adults trying to quit smokeless tobacco.
Along with this product goes an educational component about
slowly tapering off this product too. Obviously, it is not
used for everyone, nor recommended for everyone, but it
does seem to be effective for some. Based upon the grantees'
experience, it seems as though it is not recommended for
use with youth since it may in fact encourage ST use, instead
of discourage it.
- West Virginia: I was introduced to mint
snuff several years ago at an American Dental Association
meeting. With my interest in tobacco education/cessation,
especially with regards to smokeless, I spent some time
at the display and following the meeting keep in contact
with the individual at the display (names slips my mind).
That was the first I had heard of a non-tobacco chew.
There was concern that it would be used as a start-up product
instead of a method of helping with cessation. I would not
say we (WV) have ever "promoted" mint snuff, however,
due to my expressed interest in the product the mint snuff
company used my name in some of there newsletters. I was
uneasy about that and let them know. To my knowledge there
is no contraindication to using the product.
Once I had been introduced to the idea of using a non-tobacco
chew as a cessation tool, I learned there are a number of
similar products. A few years ago prior to the IRB complicating
the process, I conducted a pilot study with (as I recall)
about 50-60 smokeless tobacco users. I asked them to evaluate
the following non-tobacco chews: Mint Snuff, Golden Eagle,
Smokey Mountain and Bacc Off. Each company provided a variety
of flavors. I learned the brand that was selected as most
similar to tobacco was BACC OFF. You can locate them by
doing a search on DIP STOP.
I also asked the individuals in the study to mix the various
products with their tobacco and evaluate the flavor, texture
and etc. The point is I was looking for a product that would
be most acceptable to use to mix with tobacco to reduce
the nicotine the user receives but still retain a chew.
A way of cutting back in steps to move from tobacco to non-tobacco
chew. This approach is an attempt to separate the nicotine
addiction from the habit.
I have shared the approach with dentists and some have reported
it to be a helpful cessation tool. I think the approach
is appropriate if used properly with individuals that have
attempted to quit and found it very difficult to go without
a chew.
The National Spit Tobacco Education Program does not promote
non-tobacco chew because their primary target is to prevent
kids from starting in the first place. No one want to use
a product that could be thought of as a start up product.
(Response from West Virginia University Department of Dentistry)
Several states responded that they do not promote mint snuff,
and only promote cessation and NRT.
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