Smokeless Tobacco Control

The study group concluded that: (1) the use of smokeless tobacco caused cancer in humans, the evidence for causality being strongest for cancers of the oral cavity; (2) there was some evidence that the habit also increased the risk of cancer of the nasal cavity, pharynx, larynx, oesophagus, pancreas, and urinary tract; and (3) laboratory studies clearly supported the observation that smokeless tobacco use caused a number of precancerous oral lesions and non-cancerous oral conditions, such as gingival recession. The group considered that, although the evidence relating smokeless tobacco use to other diseases was less conclusive, it might contribute to or support the pathogenesis of coronary artery and peripheral vascular diseases, hypertension, peptic ulcers, and fetal toxicity.