IN THE BEGINNING…
Huron Indian myth has it that in ancient times, when the land was barren and the people were starving, the Great Spirit sent forth a woman to save humanity.
As she traveled over the world, everywhere her RIGHT HAND touched the soil, there grew POTATOES. And everywhere her LEFT HAND touched the soil, there grew CORN.
And when the world was rich and fertile, she SAT down and rested. When she arose, there grew TOBACCO… |
What is "Smokeless Tobacco"?
Smokeless tobacco, also referred to as spit tobacco, is tobacco that is not smoked or lighted. It comes in two forms - snuff and chew.
Snuff
- Most popular variety of smokeless tobacco - dry or moist form
- Dry snuff is usually 'sniffed' through the nose but is more common in other countries
- Finely ground tobacco similar to a powder
- Moist snuff, the form most often used by youth today, is often called 'dipping'
- Sold in small round tins or 'pucks'
- A 'pinch' is placed between the cheek and gum
- Also available in small individual packets that resemble small tea bags (less messy)
|
Chew
- Available in three forms - loose leaf, twist or plug
- Loose leaf chew is the most common - shredded tobacco leaves sold in a pouch
- Twist tobacco consists of dried leaves twisted into ropes
- Plug tobacco is compressed into a small brick and a piece must be cut off
- Either form can be chewed or sucked
- Excess tobacco juice and extra saliva builds up in the mouth which must be spit out
|