Warning About Tobacco Product

The Health Department in Utah is joining forces with local media to create awareness about an alternative to common tobacco products. The tobacco industry is coming up with a new way to introduce nicotine products to its potential consumers: Gum.

Nicotine Gum is easier to use than the regular cigarette. There's no lighting up, or no spitting required and the nicotine gum packages have the same layout and design of a regular gum package. The lack of smoke or smell makes them very deceiving for parents or teachers and harder to be detected.

"Tobacco companies spend nearly $60 million a year here in Utah on their marketing, and they are eager for new customers to replace those who die each year from their deadly products. Products such as the ones we see here today show they are not relaxing their efforts, and neither can we," says Kathy Baebler, health educator with the Salt Lake Valley Health Department.

The Department of Health advises parents to be aware of what these products look like and the potential harm they may cause. Parents should talk to their teens about them and let them know that they are not a good alternative to smoking. There is no such thing as a safe tobacco product.

Although nicotine gum might not directly cause certain kinds of cancers because of the lack of smoke, it is just as bad if not worse for the health. This is because the doses of nicotine are much higher, which makes them even more addicting.

The Journal of the American College of Cardiology has reported that nicotine harms the linings of our arteries which leads to the build-up of plaque, thereby increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Additionally, nicotine suppresses insulin output creating a hyperglycemic condition in smokers. The bottom line is that nicotine is a poison, and the human body is much better off without it.

Utah has launched a Quit Line toll-free at 1-888-567-TRUTH to help smokers trying to quit. It is a free service where people are connected to either quit-smoking services from the person’s health plan or to a quit coach at the Quit Line. Quit line services are completely confidential and available in English and Spanish.