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Levels of toxins in oral tobacco products in the UK

¹ Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK
² Department of Dental Public Health, King’s College London, London, UK

Correspondence to:
Professor Raman Bedi
Department of Dental Public Health, King’s College London, Floor 2, Caldecot Road, Denmark Hill, Campus, London SE5 9RW, UK; r.bedi{at}eastman.ucl.ac.uk

ABSTRACT
Objective: This study examined the constituents of smokeless tobacco products available in the UK and compared them with products available in India, Sweden, and the USA

Methods: Seven UK brands of smokeless tobacco, including a tooth cleaning powder, and four international brands of smokeless tobacco were tested for a range of toxins and known carcinogens, such as tobacco specific N-nitrosamines (TSNA), as well as nicotine availability.

Results: Ten of the 11 brands tested had detectable levels of tobacco specific nitrosamines, which are proven carcinogens, and levels varied 130-fold. All had detectable levels of benzo(a)pyrene, another proven carcinogen (with around 175-fold variation) and several toxic metals (with nearly 150-fold variation). Nicotine availability varied in the UK products from 0.1 mg/g to 63.2 mg/g. All the tobacco products tested are likely to be hazardous to users’ health, but the data indicate that it should be possible to reduce key toxins to non-detectable levels.

Conclusions: Smokeless tobacco products should be regulated and standards set for maximum levels of toxins and carcinogens.

Abbreviations: BaP, benz(a) pyrene; NAB, N-nitrosoanabasine; NAT, N-nitrosoanatabine; NDMA, N-nitrosodimethylamine; NNK, 4(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)–butanone; NNN, N-nitrosonornicotine; TSNA, tobacco specific nitrosamine

Keywords: smokeless tobacco; tobacco toxins; transcultural tobacco products; toxin standards

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