Is There Fiberglass in Chewing Tobacco?

Cigarettes have been around for a long time, giving smokers the satisfaction of nicotine without breaking the bank. However, recent studies regarding smoking cigarettes slowly pushed back a number of smokers from buying and using cigarettes. Some of them would then switch to smokeless tobacco.

Smokeless tobacco is a tobacco product that veers away from the need to light up a cigarette and release smoke to the surroundings. A particular type of smokeless tobacco that has already existed way before cigarettes is chewing tobacco. Chewing tobacco production comes with tobacco leaves that have been cured, fermented, and cut so you can easily pinch and place them in your mouth.

But one thing that bothers chewing tobacco users is if their smokeless tobacco products possess fibreglass. Let NativeSmokes4Less help you uncover the truth behind this.

Is There Fiberglass in Chewing Tobacco in the USA?

Chewing tobacco is a smokeless tobacco product that has been around for decades or even centuries. Tobacco consumption, after all, stems back from various civilizations where they used to use the leaves for various rituals and medicinal practices. 

When tobacco companies processed chewing tobacco, they would often take advantage of multiple processes to keep everything right. Some general steps in manufacturing chewing tobacco include:

• Harvest: The first step manufacturers would do is to harvest tobacco leaves. They take about a month or two to grow and mature before harvesting. Once they have matured, they would harvest them by either cutting the entire plant and hanging it on a stick or removing the leaves at intervals as they grow. Aromatic tobacco leaves are then strung, while flue-cured tobacco leaves are looped. To prevent bruising, chewing tobacco makers would leave the tobacco leaves in the field for a few hours to two days.
• Curing: After harvesting the tobacco leaves, it’s time to undergo the curing process. It helps remove excess moisture and develop the desired flavours. Different types of curing can be done. Air curing, for instance, entails hanging the leaves in a well-ventilated area to dry naturally for up to 8 weeks. Flue curing, alternatively, involves drying the leaves through heat from a flue or chimney. Sun curing can also be done, which subjects the tobacco leaves, especially aromatic and strong types, to direct sunlight. Fire curing, lastly, is done by hanging the tobacco leaves and exposing them to the smoke from open wood fires.
• Fermentation: After curing tobacco leaves, fermentation occurs, transforming them biochemically to develop desired flavours, reduce bitterness, and break down harmful compounds. Stacking the leaves in piles or boxes allows natural fermentation under specific conditions. Over time, the pile generates heat, which promotes microbial activity that alters the leaves’ properties.
• Strip and Cut: To process tobacco leaves for chewing, they are stripped of large, thick stems. Stripping makes the tobacco soft and free from bitterness, which elevates the chewing experience. After stripping, the leaves are cut into smaller, chewable strips, either by hand or machine. The cutting process ensures consistency in size, texture, and flavour, making the products more manageable and convenient to chew.
• Add Flavours: Newly stripped and cut tobacco leaves are blended with different flavours, such as minty and spicy, or sweet and fruity. This is achieved by soaking the tobacco strips in a solution containing molasses, sugar, glycerin, and high-quality flavourings. Mixing different varieties of tobacco, known as blending, likewise generates a distinctive flavour profile for chewing tobacco.
• Moistening the Leaves: To ensure chewing tobacco is soft and pliable, it’s moistened with water, molasses, or a similar liquid. This step gives the tobacco the right texture and makes it comfortable to consume. Some manufacturers also age the tobacco leaves to deepen the taste and smoothness of the products.

After all these steps, the manufacturers would assess their quality before distributing and shipping them to stores worldwide. To know more about how chewing tobacco is made, go here.

If you notice, all the steps necessary to produce chewing tobacco products only maximize a couple of ingredients: tobacco leaves and flavourings. Given the limited number of ingredients used in making and producing them, it’s difficult to assume that chewing tobacco products may possess other materials that can harm the users significantly, especially during consumption.

You see, one circulating rumour about chewing tobacco is that it comes with fibreglass.

In case you don’t know, fiberglass is a composite material made from very fine glass fibres. This material is known to be ultra-strong, which is why it is typically utilized as an insulation or coating. It can even be used all on its own as a primary material for vital products in varying industries. 

Aside from being strong, fibreglass is also lightweight and can resist a wide variety of harsh conditions. It won’t buckle or warp like other materials.

Now, why do people think that chewing tobacco has fiberglass?

Users of chewing tobacco expect to attain a satisfying nicotine sensation whenever they put tobacco leaves in their mouth. While they truly get their desired nicotine hits, some end up having small cuts or sores in some parts of their mouth. And given the properties of fibreglass, one can easily assume that chewing tobacco may truly contain this particular material.

The truth, however, is that chewing tobacco doesn’t have any fibreglass. Whether the tobacco product comes from the US or other countries in the world, chewing tobacco doesn’t contain this particular material. The only things chewing tobacco possesses are tobacco leaves and additional flavourings.

The irritation tobacco users feel when chewing tobacco comes from the abrasive nature of the tobacco leaves themselves. The added flavourings, which are chemicals by default, can also cause cuts. Their properties then allow you to absorb more nicotine as time passes.

What Are the Abrasives in Chewing Tobacco?

Different smokeless tobacco products are on the market today.

Snuff, for instance, is a tobacco product made from finely ground tobacco leaves. It can be either dry or moist. Dry snuff is typically sniffed, while moist snuff of dip tobacco is placed between the gums and cheek. Moist snuff encompasses another popular tobacco product, which is the snus.

Another smokeless tobacco product you can consume today is dissolvable tobacco. It is made from finely ground tobacco pressed into sticks, pellets, or strips. It typically melts in the mouth, leaving you completely clean after consuming it as you don’t have to throw anything. 

Both snuff tobacco and dissolvable tobacco are being maximized by many tobacco users who want to get away from the dangers of cigarettes, cigars, and other similar products.

Now, one viable type of smokeless tobacco product that is more utilized by many adults today is chewing tobacco. Usually, chewing tobacco comes in three types:

• Plug tobacco: Plug tobacco is a type of tobacco product made by wrapping tobacco leaves in fine tobacco and then binding them together with molasses or other sweeteners. It is typically shaped into flat bars or rolls. Consuming plug tobacco is simple; you simply bite off pieces and chew them. Some well-known brands of plug tobacco include Days O Work, America’s Best Chew (formerly known as Red Man), and Levi Garrett.
• Loose-leaf tobacco: Loose-leaf tobacco is another type of chewing tobacco that comprises shredded, air-cured tobacco leaves. Its tobacco ingredients are flavoured with sweeteners like molasses or fruit extracts, which results in a smoother taste. America’s Best Chew (formerly known as Red Man) is a well-known brand that provides loose-leaf tobacco products.
• Twist or roll tobacco: Twist or roll tobacco, another chewing tobacco option available in the market, is made from cured, flavoured tobacco leaves twisted into strands resembling ropes and dried to enhance their flavour. To use it, simply cut or bite off small pieces of the tobacco and chew. 

Regardless of the type of chewing tobacco you will be opting for, all of them boast similar tobacco leaves to make sure they will be potent enough to give you your much-needed nicotine satisfaction. NativeSmokes4Less offers a wide range of smokeless tobacco products, which are available in many flavours and priced competitively.

Since they are made from tobacco leaves that have already been cut and processed by manufacturers, why is chewing tobacco abrasive enough to make small cuts in your mouth?

The answer is simple. 

During the processing of chewing tobacco, the tobacco leaves are coarsely cut, dried, and mixed with chemical additives like salt or flavouring agents. These additives contribute to the coarse texture of chewing tobacco. Additionally, the leaves may contain small particles like sand or grit, which could either be intentionally introduced during the curing and manufacturing processes or accidentally occur. 

Once you place the chewing tobacco leaves in your mouth, their abrasiveness is expected to irritate the inner lining of your mouth, creating micro-cuts or sores. The cuts and sores may be a little bit painful, but they can help in enhancing nicotine absorption into your bloodstream.

With better nicotine absorption, you can easily get the effects of the substance, which is a better relaxing sensation and faster mood improvement, even for a short time. Of course, you should still be wary of consuming chewing tobacco regularly since it can yield health effects that can affect your daily life. 

Does Chewing Tobacco Cut Your Gums?

There are a couple of reasons why one would chew tobacco.

One, users would turn to chewing tobacco as their primary source of nicotine, which is a substance naturally released by tobacco leaves. These consumers of chewing tobacco might be used to smoking cigarettes, but later on, decided to switch to a smokeless alternative to somehow feel safer whenever they consume tobacco products.

Some adults then use chewing tobacco as a way to relieve stress, anxiety, tension, and other negative thoughts and feelings. Chewing tobacco, as discussed, can release nicotine whenever you place some tobacco leaves in your mouth and chew them intermittently. As the tobacco juice builds up, you have to spit it out to avoid overdosing on nicotine.

As your body absorbs nicotine from chewing tobacco through the oral mucosa, it immediately travels toward your brain and activates hormones and transmitters that help soothe your senses, alleviate pain, and relieve any negative feelings you may have. These effects may be short-lived, but they are enough to keep your bad emotions or thoughts at bay during a busy workday. 

Occasionally, adult users might be using chewing tobacco alternatively with cigarettes and other tobacco products, whichever is available for them.

Other users of chewing tobacco then rely on it out of habit.

They might be used to taking in any form of tobacco after a meal, after work, or before sleeping. Some may even start consuming tobacco right after waking up, which is scientifically not a good thing to do.

Regardless of the reasons behind the usage of chewing tobacco, the way it is consumed remains similar. You have to place some leaves of tobacco in your mouth, particularly between your gum and cheek and chew them periodically to fully enjoy their nicotine and flavours.

Over time, they would feel the nicotine rushing through their bloodstream, causing hits and buzzes that can somehow relax them a little bit. They might then notice their gums start getting irritated.

A common thing that many tobacco users experience when chewing tobacco leaves is gum irritation.

The tobacco leaves used for chewing tobacco products have been cut coarsely. This is intended to make sure they provide a larger surface area, allowing users to chew on them more easily. It also allows the tobacco leaves to retain their structure during the chewing action, which makes them last for a long time in one’s mouth. 

Aside from being cut coarsely, the tobacco leaves themselves have a coarse texture. They naturally come in thick and fibrous. So, even after drying, they remain tough and still exhibit their coarse texture.

When you chew tobacco leaves, they gradually create micro-abrasions or sores on the sensitive areas and tissues of your gums. The added chemicals from the leaves then dry out and irritate the mouth, further irritating your mouth. 

It then makes nicotine easier to be absorbed by your body. Unfortunately, it also puts you at risk of getting infections, gum disease, and oral cancers since the openings allow harmful substances and bacteria to infiltrate your body systems. Over time, severe oral health problems may develop, which include receding gums and tooth loss. 

Origins of the Myth

The origins of the myth that chewing tobacco contains fiberglass may be linked to the existence of fiberglass among menthol cigarettes.

Historically, different brands of menthol cigarettes formulate these products differently. But several studies have found that some of them contain fiberglass in their respective filters. The addition of fibreglass creates micro-cuts in the mouth and lungs of smokers, which allow for quicker and more nicotine absorption. This direct route of nicotine to the bloodstream makes menthol cigarettes more potent, addictive, and effective than regular cigarettes. 

Menthol cigarettes can likewise numb the throat thanks to their menthol sensation, giving smokers a larger and more satisfying hit. They can even increase one’s nicotine intake and the amount of nicotine that the bloodstream can absorb. 

These cigarettes, unfortunately, pose health risks beyond their addictive properties. These risks include oral cancer, gum disease, respiratory issues, cardiovascular diseases, and many more.

Now, since the burning or tingling sensation from menthol cigarettes, which are found to boast fibreglass in some brands, is similar to the feeling of chewing tobacco, many believe that the smokeless tobacco product contains the same ingredient. 

This sensation, fortunately, doesn’t come from any fibreglass since chewing tobacco leaves don’t have any of it. It is also caused by the abrasive texture of the tobacco leaves and added chemicals, which irritate your mouth’s sensitive issues.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there fiberglass in chewing tobacco?

Chewing tobacco doesn’t contain fiberglass. The irritation or tingling sensation caused by this smokeless tobacco comes from the abrasive nature of tobacco leaves and added chemicals. 

Is there any fiber in tobacco?

Yes. Tobacco leaves naturally contain plant fibers as part of their structure. The fibres are cellulose-based, giving the leaves their strength and texture. 

Does chewing tobacco have metal in it?

Yes. Chewing tobacco does have metals in it. These metals, such as cadmium, lead, and arsenic, come from the soil where the tobacco is grown. Even after processing, some traces of these metals remain. Hence, long-term consumption of chewing tobacco exposes you to these metals, which are known to pose serious health risks. 

What are the ingredients in chewing tobacco?

The primary ingredient in chewing tobacco is tobacco leaves, which have been processed meticulously. Additional ingredients include flavourings (like molasses or mint), sweeteners, salt, and preservatives.

Is there fiberglass in cigarettes?

Some menthol cigarettes have been found to possess fiberglass, especially on their filters. The reason behind this is to make nicotine absorption better, making cigarettes more addictive.

Summary

Chewing tobacco, contrary to what a number of people may believe, doesn’t contain any fiberglass. Instead, it is mainly produced out of tobacco leaves, which are processed meticulously so you can receive your much-needed nicotine hits without resorting to cigarettes and other smoking products. The leaves are then blended with flavourings and additives to make them more potent and flavourful.

One truth behind chewing tobacco, nonetheless, is it can be dangerous to your health. To learn how to quit chewing tobacco, click here.