Can chewing tobacco cause a smoker's cough and other health problems?
Ask the doctor
Q. My boyfriend has been chewing tobacco regularly and drinking alcohol occasionally since he was 18 years old. He's 42 now and coughs a few times a day. Could the nicotine be the cause of the cough? Can a person who chews tobacco get a "smoker's cough"?
A. Chewing tobacco may be a harmful and unpleasant habit. But it's unlikely to be causing your boyfriend's cough.
A "smoker's cough" develops when the lungs are persistently irritated by cigarette smoke. In medical lingo, this is called chronic bronchitis. This is a form of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Chewing tobacco, snuff, and other forms of smokeless tobacco don't get into the lungs. So they don't appear to cause lung diseases such as emphysema or lung cancer. But smokeless tobacco does have its health risks:
- It releases high levels of nicotine. Nicotine is highly addictive.
- It releases toxic chemicals into the mouth. This increases the risk of developing cancer in the mouth, tongue, and throat. When combined with alcohol, the risk is even greater.
- It can cause inflammation of the gums (gingivitis), tooth decay (dental caries), and tooth loss.
My advice: he should stop chewing tobacco immediately. He may need nicotine replacement to help him quit. He can also ask his doctor for prescription medicine to help reduce nicotine craving and withdrawal symptoms.
Image: © bildfokus/Getty Images
About the Author
Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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