Nornicotine in Smokeless Tobacco as a Precursor for Carcinogen Exposure
Smokeless tobacco users who are unable or unwilling to quit tobacco use may be exposed to the potent oral and esophageal carcinogen NNN not only from tobacco itself, but also via its endogenous synthesis from nornicotine. The proposed study will lead to an understanding of the endogenous formation of NNN from nornicotine in humans, and will also investigate the effect of the reduction of nornicotine content in smokeless tobacco on the extent of endogenous NNN formation. The knowledge gained in this study will lead to the development of recommendations for the regulation, or potentially elimination, of nornicotine in smokeless tobacco products in order to minimize exposure to NNN in the users of these products.
• ages 18 to 65
• smokeless tobacco user of at least 3 tins of product per week for 6 months
• used the same brand for greater than 80% of their smokeless tobacco use over the course of at least 6 months, and used this brand exclusively for at least two weeks before starting the study
• not smoking or using any other nicotine or tobacco product in the past 2 weeks
• good physical health (no unstable medical condition) and good general oral health
• good mental health (e.g. not currently, within the past 6 months, experiencing unstable or untreated psychiatric diagnosis, including substance abuse)
• regular smoking or tobacco use (e.g., greater than once a week)
• currently (within the past 2 weeks) using nicotine replacement or other tobacco cessation products
• women who are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breast feeding
• significant immune system disorders, respiratory diseases, kidney or liver diseases
Respiratory System
Smokeless Tobacco