The information below is from the smokeless tobacco producer Sweidsh Match, we at BuySmokeless tobacco are not reliable and con not be held responsible for any incorrectness in the information.
Research on smokeless tobacco
In recent years, a number of Swedish studies have been published on the effects of smokeless tobacco on health, based on Swedish conditions. Previously published research on oral tobacco products has mainly dealt with product types used in other parts of the world, such as India, meaning the results have not been representative. The information given here is a summary of current research on smokeless tobacco of the type used in Sweden and the rest of the Nordic region. More information on these studies can be found on Swedish Matchs website.
Swedish Match seeks to constantly reduce or minimize presumed health risks in its smokeless tobacco products and to contribute to increased knowledge on the characteristics and use of smokeless tobacco. Consequently, Swedish Match supports independent research, while also conducting its own research and development efforts, which focus on the continuous improvement of products.
200 years of Swedish smokeless tobacco
The smokeless tobacco used in the Nordic region has a history stretching back nearly 200 years. In Sweden, smokeless tobacco has been one of the dominant tobacco products for an entire century. Its health effects have now been well elucidated in a large number of Swedish scientific studies.
Overall, the use of tobacco in Sweden is on a level comparable to many other European countries. Despite this fact, the risk of dying of a tobacco-related disease is lower in Sweden than in any other European country. This is true of men. One reason contributing to this is thought to be the fact that Swedish men use smokeless tobacco considerably more than they smoke. The risk for Swedish women is comparable to that for women in other parts of Europe.
Current research findings
According to three Swedish studies (of which, two were conducted within the framework of the World Health Organizations MONICA project), the use of smokeless tobacco does not increase the risk of heart attack. However, there are contradictory results regarding the use of smokeless tobacco and other cardiovascular diseases. But smokeless tobacco does not appear to contribute to hardening of the arteries.
The use of smokeless tobacco has a direct effect on heart rate and blood pressure. However, it is unclear whether smokeless tobacco causes chronic high blood pressure. Elevated blood pressure has been observed in some studies but not in others.
A Swedish study (within the framework of the World Health Organizations MONICA project) showed that the use of smokeless tobacco does not increase the risk of cerebral hemorrhage (stroke).
Results are contradictory regarding whether smokeless tobacco contributes to an increased risk of age-related diabetes (type-2 diabetes). The largest and most recent Swedish study (Eliason et al, Journal of Internal Medicine 2004) found no verifiably increased risk of age-related diabetes among smokeless tobacco users, although it did find this among smokers.
An expert panel has conducted a risk assessment (published in Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers 2004) of smokeless tobacco and other products. Choosing smokeless tobacco instead of smoking reduces the risk of death from a tobacco-related disease (defined as lung cancer, oral cancer, coronary diseases and premature death) by 90 percent, according to the assessment.