Is Dipping Tobacco Better Than Smoking?

Smokeless tobacco users would typically argue that the products they consume are much safer than cigarettes and other similar products. Cigarette smokers, alternatively, would defend their beloved smokes as these products give them better nicotine satisfaction in every puff.

One way to use smokeless tobacco products is through dipping. When dipping tobacco as a beginner, you only need to pinch or dip tobacco and put it between your lip and gum. Once everything is set up, you just let it sit in your mouth as long as you like and allow it to release its nicotine content. Smoking is different since you have to light up a cigarette and puff it every now and then until its tobacco content is gone.

Given the general difference between dipping tobacco and smoking, you might be curious on which one of them is better. This blog from NativeSmokes4Less is your gateway to finding out which of the two options for tobacco consumption is better.

Dipping Tobacco vs Smoking

Tobacco products have existed for a very long time, spanning centuries of consumption and innovation across countries and civilizations. The base plant tobacco, also known as Nicotiana tabacum, is a member of the Nicotiana genus. It is a close relative to the deadly nightshade that can only be found in the Americas.

In 1492, the Native American tribes greeted Columbus warmly, giving him gifts of fruit, food, spears, and dried-up tobacco leaves. 

The tobacco leaves, which were not edible and had a distinctive smell, were only thrown overboard. Columbus and his group didn’t know that the said plants were used by the tribes for smoking for medicinal and religious purposes. Later, however, Columbus realized the significance of the said leaves, confirming that they were indeed a prized possession among the natives.

The first Europeans who observed smoking tobacco products were Rodrigo de Jerez and Luis de Torres. Jerez would then bring the habit of smoking back with him to Spain from Cuba. 

While Jerez would be soon arrested by the Holy Inquisition and held in captivity for almost 7 years due to smoking, many seafarers at the time would also smoke tobacco. This makes smoking a habit not only in Spain but also in Portugal. By the 15th century, Portuguese sailors would plant tobacco on almost all of their trading outputs, allowing them to use the plants for personal consumption or gifts. 

By the end of the 16th century, the tobacco plant and its use were both introduced to almost all countries in Europe. It is not only smoked but also snuffed, depending on the personal preference of a user. 

Doctors even claimed that tobacco plants had medicinal properties that make them useful for treating key illnesses. In 1571, Nicolas Monardes even wrote a book that enumerates up to 36 specific ailments that tobacco could potentially cure.

In the US around the period of the Revolutionary War, tobacco products gained a strong foothold. In 1776, tobacco was used by the revolutionaries as a part of loan collaterals that were attained from France. Philip Morris would then be established in the UK in 1847, selling hand-rolled Turkish cigarettes. Many more brands of tobacco products would later be established in the 19th century, with R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company as the leading brand that sells chewing tobacco.

It was in 1881 when cigarette-making machines were invented by James Bonsack, giving cigarette makers a new way to produce cigarettes at a faster rate. He would then go into business with James Buck Duke and create the American Tobacco Company. 

Today, the ATC is now part of British American Tobacco, a company known for earning billions. Other companies mentioned likewise still exist today, earning billions out of varying tobacco products.

When looking at the history of tobacco as a whole, you’ll notice how flexible this plant is. Some companies would produce cigarettes as their primary offering, allowing tobacco users to just smoke these products whenever and wherever they want. Others, alternatively, sell smokeless tobacco products, giving users convenience in terms of consuming the said plant.

Looking back, there are times when smokeless tobacco products would trump cigarettes in terms of overall sales. Smokeless tobacco products like chewing tobacco, snus, snuff, and many more, after all, don’t require any combustion. Users only have to pinch and place them in their mouths. Some would chew them, while others just leave them and let the tobacco leaves do their thing. Celebrities who dip tobacco have also brought attention to these products, showcasing their use in movies, sports, and other public appearances, influencing their popularity among fans.

It seems convenient for many, but others would complain about how messy they are, especially those that require spitting. This is where cigarette smoking comes in.

Cigarettes are processed meticulously to make sure they are rolled properly and remain intact while they are being smoked. In the past, however, these tobacco products came at a very high price since manufacturers take a long time before they can be processed and distributed. But upon the invention of cigarette-making machines, the manufacturing process of cigarettes became quicker, allowing manufacturers to produce more cigarettes in a day and gradually slash their prices.

Now, as a tobacco user, you may be wondering whether dipping tobacco is better than smoking. When comparing these two, there are a number of things you must consider:

• Consumption method: Dipping tobacco is generally maximized by placing one between the gum and cheek, allowing its nicotine to be released and absorbed by your mouth’s lining. Smoking, alternatively, involves burning the tobacco and inhaling the tobacco smoke through the lungs for the delivery of nicotine. Dipping doesn’t involve any combustion, while smoking does, which generally produces more harmful tar and cancer-causing chemicals.
• Harmful health effects: You can’t discuss tobacco in general without mentioning its harmful health effects. The only thing that may differentiate between dipping tobacco and smoking is the type of diseases you may get when using smokeless tobacco products and cigarettes. Smoking, for instance, has been long linked to lung cancer, heart disease, and respiratory issues due to inhaling tobacco smoke. Dipping tobacco, alternatively, puts you at an increased risk of oral cancers, gum disease, tooth loss, and stomach issues. 
• Social aspects: Lastly, dipping tobacco and smoking may be viewed by other people differently. Since smoking cigarettes produces visible smoke and odour, it is typically frowned upon by people who don’t smoke. It is then banned in many public places by governments and institutions, making it difficult for smokers to light up cigarettes whenever they crave one. Dipping tobacco, on the other hand, seems to be more discreet as it still requires spitting. This practice can be unpleasant and is still unacceptable on certain premises. 

Both dipping tobacco and smoking have their own pros and cons that you should be aware of. In the end, it would be best to quit tobacco altogether to make sure you won’t develop any serious illnesses as well as prevent other people from being exposed to harm due to tobacco.

Cigarette vs Dipping Tobacco, Which Is Worse?

In Canada and other parts of the world, cigarettes are still considered the top tobacco product used by many adults and even younger people. They are likewise the top source of preventable deaths globally, which is why many governments worldwide have continuously imposed regulations and laws that would help decrease cigarette use among tobacco users of all ages.

What makes cigarettes harmful?

Cigarettes, in general, are made from tobacco, chemical additives, a filter, and paper wrapping. They are different from cigars, which use tobacco wrapping instead of paper. As you smoke a cigarette, the combusted part of the said tobacco product produces smoke that contains nicotine, tar, carcinogens, and other harmful chemicals. Even tobacco-specific nitrosamines are produced by a cigarette.

When you inhale these things, they latch onto your body organs and systems, gradually damaging them until you get sick. Some health risks you may develop when you smoke cigarettes for a long time include cancer, lung disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, type 2 diabetes, and many more.

Then there’s the effects of nicotine, a highly addictive substance naturally produced by tobacco. Nicotine is the substance that makes it difficult for one to quit smoking, even if they want to. This substance can alter the way your brain works, causing cravings for more nicotine. It likewise makes you feel relieved from stress and other negative emotions or thoughts that you may be feeling or thinking. It even helps you feel concentrated and relaxed, even in a short time.

One thing that makes cigarettes effective in delivering nicotine to your body is the way smoke travels to your body. As you inhale the cigarette smoke, its nicotine gets delivered to your brain within seconds. You don’t have to wait for a couple of minutes before the substance kicks in, allowing you to enjoy its soothing effects after being stressed or working for hours.

And while you don’t absorb as much nicotine as a cigarette often has, its quick delivery still makes this tobacco product effective in making you addicted to the substance. Plus, you don’t have to deal with the somehow unsanitary spitting action that smokeless tobacco products often require.

How about dipping tobacco? It is as harmful as cigarettes?

Of course. Dipping tobacco, like smoking, can still release nicotine and other harmful chemicals from its base ingredient, tobacco. Also known as chewing tobacco, chew, dip, oral tobacco, or spitting tobacco, dipping tobacco is a seemingly more discreet way of consuming tobacco without producing any smoke in the air. The way you consume dipping tobacco makes it more acceptable to many as you don’t bother those who don’t smoke. It also keeps other people safe from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke.

But as for the user, it would still put them at risk of getting sick.

Dipping tobacco still produces tobacco juices that contain tons of harmful chemicals. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this smokeless tobacco still contains tobacco-specific nitrosamines, polonium-210, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, and harmful metals like arsenic, mercury, nickel, and lead. 

When you dip tobacco for a long time, you may be at risk of developing many health conditions like cheek, gum, mouth, and tongue cancer, bad breath and stained teeth, bone loss around the teeth, esophageal cancer, gum disease, heart attack, stroke, tooth decay, and tooth loss. Is dip chewing tobacco? No, dip is not the same as chewing tobacco. Dip is finely ground tobacco placed between the gums and cheek, while chewing tobacco comes in larger leaf form and is chewed to release nicotine and flavor.

Since dipping tobacco involves packing the tobacco leaves by yourself, you may unknowingly consume excessive amounts of tobacco. This only puts you at risk of nicotine poisoning. It is then the reason why many people prefer smoking cigarettes since they don’t have to deal with the additional process of opening a can or tin of dipping tobacco and placing a certain amount of tobacco in their mouth.

With all the facts related to smoking and dipping tobacco, it’s easy to assume that the latter is less harmful than smoking. With dipping tobacco, you don’t have to deal with the additional harmful chemicals that cigarette smoke contains every time you inhale it. It also allows you to control the amount of tobacco you get to consume in one dipping session.

Despite this, both tobacco products only cause you harm.

If you still want to consume nicotine without resorting to tobacco products, you can opt for nicotine replacement therapy instead. Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or FDA and other health agencies around the world, nicotine replacement therapy aids are available for you to consume nicotine without relying on tobacco. They can then help you gradually reduce your nicotine consumption until you no longer depend on the said substance.

Some examples of NRT are nicotine gum and nicotine lozenges. In Canada, you can also maximize nicotine pouches as a way to consume nicotine without the health problems related to tobacco items.

Is Dipping Tobacco Safer Than Cigarettes?

Different smokeless tobacco products are available in the market. Some of them are as follows:

• Chewing tobacco: Chewing tobacco products are cured tobacco products in the form of loose leaves, plugs, or twists. It is typically placed between the cheek and gum. Users would then have to chew it to release its nicotine content, spitting out tobacco juices. To know more facts about chewing tobacco, read more here.
• Dry snuff: Dry snuff is loose finely cut or powdered tobacco that’s typically sniffed through the nose. It delivers the highly addictive substance nicotine through nasal absorption. Unlike chewing tobacco, dry snuff doesn’t require spitting. 
• Moist snuff: Moist snuff is finely ground tobacco that can be either loose or pouched. It is consumed by placing one in the mouth, allowing the nicotine to be absorbed through the mouth lining. Users then have to spit out the excess saliva from the moist snuff.
• Snus: Snus is a moist, finely ground tobacco that you place under the upper lip. It doesn’t require spitting like other smokeless tobacco, which makes it more discreet than others. You can buy one in pre-portioned pouches, making it easier to consume,
• Dissolvable tobacco products: Dissolvable tobacco products are made with cut, ground, or powdered tobacco leaves. They include lozenges, oral use strips, or sticks. While it is less common than other smokeless tobacco products, it often appeals to those who want a smokeless, no-spit alternative to traditional tobacco.

Some of these smokeless tobacco products are available for sale at NativeSmokes4Less. NS4L is an online store in Canada that sells a vast range of these products at very competitive prices allowing you to enjoy nicotine discreetly without the need to smoke anything.

As discussed earlier, nicotine is a substance you can naturally get from consuming tobacco. It is a substance that can be addictive, especially if you will be using cigarettes and smokeless tobacco repeatedly. But it is not the only substance that makes the said tobacco products harmful.

It is the thousands of chemicals contained in tobacco. When you chew, sniff, and dip tobacco, most of the chemicals it contains get absorbed by your body. These chemicals will then react to your body’s systems and organs, damaging them along the way. Eventually, you’ll develop serious health effects like fatal lung diseases like cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. 

But when compared to dipping and other smokeless tobacco products, they are typically less harmful than cigarettes. Combusting and burning tobacco, as many studies have confirmed, produces more than 7,000 chemicals that can be extremely dangerous to one’s health.

Some chemicals your body may get from smoking cigarettes include acetone, acetic acid, ammonia, arsenic, benzene, butane, cadmium, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, hexamine, lead, naphthalene, methanol, tar, and toluene. These chemicals, which you can also find in many more dangerous products out there, enter your body and slowly destroy your body organs and systems. 

Nicotine, which is another substance found in cigarette smoke, makes it difficult to quit smoking, even if they want to. This is the reason why tobacco use through smoking should not be done in the first place.

Due to the chemicals found in tobacco smoke, many people would easily assume that dipping tobacco is safer than cigarettes. In some ways, this could be true since dipping tobacco doesn’t release tobacco smoke, which is the key source of extra chemicals that can damage one’s body. It can also be safer as you have sole control over the amount of tobacco you get to consume.

But, these things don’t mean that dipping tobacco is completely safe.

While smoking cigarettes significantly increases your risk of developing lung-related diseases, dipping tobacco can still pose health risks. Since you consume dipping tobacco orally, the potential health issues you may encounter usually involve your mouth, teeth, gums, and other related areas. You can likewise get addicted to nicotine through dipping tobacco, the same way you get addicted to the substance when you smoke cigarettes for a long time.

Which Has More Nicotine, Cigarettes or Dipping Tobacco?

One of the primary things that many tobacco users typically consider when choosing among the tobacco products in the market today is the amount of nicotine they could get from consuming them. If you’re a part of this group of people, then you know how satisfying smoking or dipping tobacco is, especially if the nicotine from these products finally enters your system.

At this point, you might already be curious about whether cigarettes contain more nicotine than dipping tobacco or vice versa.

The truth is that the amount of nicotine in a tobacco product may vary depending on the manufacturer. Cigarettes and dipping tobacco products are not purely made from tobacco. They are often added with additives or flavourings to further enhance their flavour and nicotine release. Now, tobacco manufacturers have the liberty to alter the ratio of ingredients based on their own formulation. 

Some might balance the ratio of tobacco and other ingredients to ensure the products won’t provide strong nicotine hits, while others may choose to add tons of tobacco elements to their products to make them as strong as possible. 

But when it comes to the amount of nicotine you can absorb, dipping tobacco takes the win.

Dipping tobacco normally contains more nicotine than cigarettes, with a standard-sized dip of the former delivering around 4mg of nicotine. Smoking a standard cigarette, alternatively, only releases around 2mg of nicotine, which is half of the amount of nicotine you can get from dipping tobacco. 

So, despite the slower nicotine delivery of dipping tobacco, you can expect a higher amount of nicotine getting into your body as time passes. The nicotine you get from dipping tobacco is likewise known for staying longer in your blood, allowing you to feel its effects far longer than smoking a cigarette.

The only thing that makes cigarettes seem to be more addictive is they take a shorter time to release the substance. They also tend to be consumed faster since you can already smoke a cigarette under 10 minutes, allowing you to light up another stick and enjoy another round of nicotine release from the same tobacco product without waiting any longer.

Unfortunately, cigarettes tend to also bring more harm than dipping tobacco due to the chemicals present in tobacco smoke. Hence, manufacturers of dipping tobacco typically recommend smokers to ditch cigarettes and use their products instead to help people quit smoking.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is better for you, smoking or dipping?

Smoking and dipping tobacco are both harmful to your health since they only put you at risk of health issues. Smoking only increases your risk of developing lung cancer, heart disease, and respiratory issues. Dipping, alternatively, increases the risk of oral cancers, gum disease, and tooth loss. Now, in terms of convenience and effectiveness of nicotine delivery, dipping would be better for you.

How many cigarettes is a can of dip equal to?

A can of dipping tobacco contains nicotine equivalent to about 30 to 40 cigarettes. Therefore, a single dip can easily provide more nicotine than smoking a cigarette, making it highly addictive.

Summary

Dipping tobacco is better than smoking in some ways since it doesn’t produce any tobacco smoke, which is the key source of carcinogens, tar, and other harmful chemicals that damage one’s body. Additionally, it is somehow more discreet and can be typically consumed even indoors. 

Despite the less harmful health risks of dipping tobacco, it could still cause harm to tobacco users since it still contains tobacco, a plant known for releasing nicotine and other chemicals that make it addictive. It can likewise cause oral illnesses, especially if you consume it regularly.

A safe substitute for smokeless tobacco products as well as cigarettes is nicotine pouches. These are small pouches that contain nicotine without relying on tobacco plants. Learn more about nicotine pouches at NativeSmokes4Less.