Deseret News | Evils of 'chew' stressed

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Evils of 'chew' stressed

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Kenny | 8:24 p.m. Dec. 12, 2008

I started dippping in college. Mint SKoal pouches. It's been over a week and my roomate and I are almost done with a tin

Dave | 1:21 p.m. Dec. 15, 2008

I quit today! Dipped for 7 years, prior to that smoked for 10. I'll post again in 2009 and update you with my success. I will explain the ups and downs I go through.

Tabacco Free Future | 1:46 p.m. Dec. 15, 2008

It seams to me, that Grizzly Wintergreen has the tobacco company shout out!

GRIZZY WINTERGREEN..(yeah right)

The truth is that most people hate that they chew or smoke. Especially the older they get and the more they realize that this life style choice is the wrong one!

One thing I've realized recently is that tobacco use is drug use. It is a drug addiction. We who are addicted acknowledge the addiction, in most cases; however, it is not understood as to what addiction really is. I see so many young people posting the need for help with quitting. The truth is no-one can help. Only GOD can help!! Only YOU can make the decision. It has been asked by a few, ï¿½when do the cravings end?ï¿½ It seems to me, and many others who are past tobacco users that the craving never stops. Cravings start to come less frequently as you begin to disassociate your daily actives with using, THAT MEANS as each day passes you will re-learn what it takes to complete ordinary tasks with out using. As we learn to drive, work, walk and talk with out using, the feeling that we need to use will go away!

Comments continue below

Kyle N | 10:30 p.m. Dec. 15, 2008

Ive been dipin for 1 year its gotten way out of hand, almost to a tin a day. im really trying to quit but without the support from my parents its almost imposible. i feel its even effecting me in school. im 17 and hope to stop with this can i have.

bad pottey mouth | 2:52 p.m. Dec. 17, 2008

man i hope u r ok .

E~Town Boy | 12:49 a.m. Dec. 29, 2008

I am a 16 year old regretful dipper. i currently dip Grizzly Longcut Wintergreen and i have tried to quit but it is so hard and i want to quit. I live in a really small town in Eastern Mississippi. i go to a small school where about 90% of my school dips even some of the girls there dip. I started dipping in the 4th grade and quit when going into the 7th grade but when i got to the 8th grade i started chewing levi garrett and then started smoking newports and i started back chewing levi garrett to quit smoking and then in the second semester of my freshman year i started dipping Grizzly and i still dip Grizzly. I want to quit because i have seen what happens, but its hard when everyone around me does it so if you know someone tryn to quit help them any way you can and dont do it around them because it is torture in a way.

tyler | 1:27 p.m. Jan. 6, 2009

ive been chewing for about a month ago and not gonna lie i love it..im in highschool and i find my self hiding in the bathroom at school puting dips in of citris skoal and going to class with a pop can to spit in my addiction has def got worse to i go through about a tin a day but now tht i see this i worry cause everytime i lick my gums it feels like blood but i cant get over how much i love my citris skoal so im having a huge problem and i prolly wont quit either at least on my own i def need help

nick | 4:37 p.m. Jan. 6, 2009

im 16 now and started when i was about 13 id say. ive been off and on but i mainly do it becuase it gives me something to do and it feels good. if i dont feel good i take it out. its not really that hard to quit. its just when you want to quit. ill quit when im married or something lol it passes the time and i just dont feel like quiting :P but im not worried about mouth cancer cuz i dont even dip that much. thanks for the warning though guys. GRIZZLY MINT ALL THE WAY :D

Shawn | 12:33 a.m. Jan. 9, 2009

I've dipped for about a year and a half and i tried quitting once before but slid back into it. I'm gonna try again soon because i got a sore in my mouth that's been bugging me a lot it could be paranoia but i don't wanna chance it for the sake of the people around me if you don't wanna quit for you quit for the people who don't want to see you like the guy in the picture a good amount of this helped thank you all of you

anonymous | 1:42 a.m. Jan. 10, 2009

i was just searching the web to find a spitoon to spit in since im tired of searching for an empty bottle or can to spit in when i dip. I have been "chewing" for 9 months now with a one month break in the middle from when i "quit". I have not been planning to quit anytime soon but when you put one in and no longer get a buzz it seems almost pointless although you still feel you need it. I just took out my dip after reading these comments and am planning to slowly stop. i quit last time by limiting myself to two dips a day. then one. then finally stopped. I picked it up again after about a month. The first night after having no dip all day i lost a lot of sleep. I know that i have a lot of life to live still and am hoping to quit soon. Hope you will do the same!

Ben | 8:35 p.m. Jan. 10, 2009

iv been dippen since i was 5 and im 16 and it hasent botherd me i can by it anywere i live in cushing texas.... so ya i dip grizzly wintergreen logcut, or Grizzly straight practicly whatever the stores has and i have the money for so .. and i have never had cancer or nothing , i aint ever ganna quit soooo dont ever quit dippen

ex-smoker | 9:25 p.m. Jan. 10, 2009

Tobacco, no matter what form it comes in ,is poisen. I had the habit for many years, and as a result, have a hard time breathing. I wish that I had listen to the warnings of our church leaders and never started. Iknew it all at that stage of my life, so i like many, just ignored their council and now theres a price to pay. my advice to all of you suffer from addiction, wether you are LDS or not. ask the leaders in the ward to give you a priesthood blessing, to help you overcome the desire for this evil product. my promis to you if you are sincere and really want to overcome this habit, this will help you more than anything else on this Earth can. try it , and start living again!

dental officer | 6:48 a.m. Jan. 13, 2009

do not wait for any pain or discomfort in ur mouth or lips (pain is a very late indicator of oral cancer).dentists are trained to look for these cancer and precancerous lesions...just let them know u practice tobacco chewing/drinking/smoking; because if u chew tobacco and drink alcohol, u r 38 times more likely to get oral cancer than people who do not.that's a scary number.early detection means cancer can be treated at the early stage and prognosis of oral cancer is good if treated early (not to mention less invasive/disfiguring treatment).

jared | 6:12 p.m. Jan. 15, 2009

i am 19 years old i have been dipping since i was fourteen. my girlfriend has recently been hounding me to quit along with my mom. i have went four days now and have only put in 3 dips. compared to my can a day. i get the worst craving in the evening after i eat supper. but today is the forth day and i have not put one in and i am not going to i really want to quit. but sometimes i just dont know how im going to the cravings are tough to overcome. If anybody has any suggestions on how to overcome my cravings please send a comment back to me

ananymous | 11:46 a.m. Jan. 16, 2009

i've chewed for a while now since my freshman year of high school, imma frehman in college now . . . never had i cavity, just gotta brush after i do it.

Anonymous | 6:45 p.m. Jan. 17, 2009

im 17 and i started dippin when i was 15.yeah people tell me that ill get cancer and ill die,but i always tell them that everything in this world can give you cancer.my uncle got mouth cancer from the dust in 9/11 and he has never dipped.i tried to quit but my whole auto class does it,so im gonna keep doing it.any type of grizzly just not fine cut and natural

Aj | 12:15 p.m. Jan. 23, 2009

I hope that some day i can quite but its the hardest thing that ive done

Junkanoova | 5:41 p.m. Jan. 26, 2009

Heres the deal guys, I know you love the taste of tobacco, I know you love the feel of that hardcore buzz. If you love to dip, for those reasons, then fine, dip, but think about the consequences, mouth cancer, throat cancer, ugly teeth, receding gums, and eventually, parts of your jaw(s) removed.

If you do it to look cool, that's not worth it, you only look cool to other people that chew, and everyone else thinks it's disgusting.

Honestly, it is safer that smoking, but, its not safe, I've done honest research on this, which is along the line of TNSA content in brands, and if you refuse to quit, at least switch to a healthier brand.

Pinkerton Tobaccos (Red Man, Timberwolf)-4-7 ppm TNSA
Cope-30-40 ppm TNSA
Skoal-10-11 ppm TNSA
Grizzly-15-17 ppm TNSA
Beechnut-4-6 ppm TNSA
*Most Swedish SNUS brands are 3 and lower in parts per million TNSA

Nitrosomines are the leading cuase of cancer in tobacco products, TNSA (Tobacco Nitrosomines). These are the more popular brands in the U.S. and there TNSA ratings. NOT TRYING TO CONVINCE TO STAY ADICTED.

Dan | 6:55 a.m. Jan. 27, 2009

Started when i was 15. Really love it hunting. Quit cold turkey 16 days ago. Cravings went away after 2 weeks.

matt | 12:23 p.m. Jan. 27, 2009

i have been chewing sence i was 12 and im 16 now. i cant quite chewing for enything. ive tryed alot.

Seronica | 2:39 p.m. Jan. 28, 2009

I feel sorry for this guy. This picture of him is enough to change my mind about chewing dip!

Anonymous | 7:51 p.m. Feb. 2, 2009

V=I go through about one can a day, I can't function if I don't have a dip or at least the smell of chew. If I don't have a dip, everything is so stressful, I'm only a junior in high school, and I chew basically all day in school except for when I when I eat lunch. I would love to quit, but if I do, I'll go crazy. I recently got a hold of of the new Camel Snus, and it's easier on your lips because one it's a pouch and two it goes in your top gums. I've been told that it doesn't have as much nicotine as other chewing products. To people that don't chew, don't criticize us and tell us "just stop, it's not that hard to", it's not easy trying to quit, I know that it will be good for me, but in the near future, i don't see it happening

anonymous | 2:58 p.m. Feb. 3, 2009

i sarted a 14 and am now 15 and i quit a week ago because i began having a pain in my jaw hopefully nothing but its getting easier.

jake | 4:42 p.m. Feb. 3, 2009

hey im 14 ive benn dippin for only five months about 2 tins a week and i have some small white lumps on the inside of my cheaks. i was wonderin if enyone has heard of enybudy gettin cancer that early? i am quitin today and i hope every one else can to.

Lee | 2:26 a.m. Feb. 10, 2009

To be honest I hope all you kids quit as soon as possible. Like most of you I came from a rural place were every one dipped and now almost 25 years later at the age of 40 I'm still dipping Copenhagen. I've been lucky and never had any sores on my mouth or any problems (knock on wood)but I hate the fact I do this stuff still. I've probably done a can every 3 or 4 days for 25 years. I've tried every thing to quit from running out in foreign countries were I can't buy any to chewing cigars etc and nothing works, as soon as I get near a circle K or 7-11 back in the states I buy a can. Trust me, quit now, while it is easy because it jut gets worse over time and so do the risks.

wont say my name | 11:06 a.m. Feb. 10, 2009

i have been diping for about a month are two but how long does it take for some body to get mouth cancer if u onley take a dip about once a week are twice a week i dip skoal timber wolf and copenhgen

Dakota | 11:42 a.m. Feb. 10, 2009

i have been dippin since i was about 8 years old and i am 15 years old and can't quit

Hurtin Albertan | 2:40 p.m. Feb. 11, 2009

I finaly had enough, I started Chewing when I was 14, Im now 30 with a loving family. My wife has been hounding me for the last 4 years to quit. I tried everything to quit , the patch, gum, cold turkey, but have finally had success with laser surgery. Its only been a short period since i have had the surgery, but I have absolutely no cravings, no withdrawls and love evry minute of time that I spend lip free to do what should be done.Loving life. for those of you that want to quit and dont want the cravings or withdrawls I highly recomend getting the laser done. Its cheap and really works. I dipped for almost 17 years and until the day I had surgery I was over two tins a day of my favorite skoal strait. Do yourself, your family, and friends a favor and quit! Its the best thing that Ive ever done, you wont regret it I promise!

Anonymous | 2:09 p.m. Feb. 18, 2009

your stupid

Anonymous | 2:53 p.m. Feb. 18, 2009

Is that a cigarrete in his ear?

Tyler | 3:04 p.m. Feb. 25, 2009

Im 17 and started occasionally dippin only about a yr ago. Its amazing how much you want it after you tell yourself no more. No i dont chew a tin a day but weather you do a tin a day or a tin a week your still putting yourself at risk. I have too much to lose. Type "Trash Your Can" into google and click on it. Im a big outdoorsy guy and thats why when i saw this other guys story on it really hit me hard, Why risk it. Honestly though take a look at that site and his pictures. some get pretty graphic.

inferno714 | 3:38 p.m. Feb. 25, 2009

Mr. Bender came to my high school in Washington back a couple years ago. He was very straightforward, but encouraging. I hope he had an impact on some people's decisions that day, and I'm overjoyed to learn that others are choosing to stop using tobacco because of what he has said. I myself am not and never have been a user, and don't intend to, but I want to wish everyone trying to quit good luck, and say that with the help of the Lord Jesus Christ, anything is possible.

Billy | 8:23 p.m. Feb. 25, 2009

iv been chewing since im 12 and i have to say its not that bad my dad chewed since he was 10 now hes 45 and he dosent have mouth cancer and im 18 now and its hard to stop but im trying so good luck to every body out there taht is trying to stop.

Anonymous | 5:40 p.m. March 5, 2009

wow. this is intense. i am 14 and in 9th grade. i was just researching lip cancer for my bio project. i cant believe how hard it is for people to quit dipping. im very happy for the ones that have and i hope those of you that still do eventually. its just not worth the risk. i will NEVER dip.

Jiggle Billy | 11:45 a.m. March 6, 2009

Buys forget about cancer for a minute...ive been dipping all my live and noticed awhile back my lower gum line had been going way downn. A buddy told me to pack it on the cheeks to reduce the whole no front teeth gig. Ive been doing that for the last 3 years and my gums look the same...for all the dippers out there switch your favoirite dip pocket every now and then to greatly reduce your risk of cancer.

Big Bart | 10:11 a.m. March 10, 2009

my friend chris luongo cant stop packin bombs!! i try to get him to stop but i cant. its a problem but i cant get through to him. i hope he doesnt get cancer. he goes through 4 and 1/2 tins a day

noodle | 2:18 p.m. March 11, 2009

All of you dipping, sniffing, smelling disgusted guys only need a crutch to hold you up so...I guess it has to be "a dip"! Why don't you find a nice hobby to keep you busy or a bottle of water to hold in your hand while you are talking to give you the confidence you need instead of dipping!

Conner | 5:43 p.m. March 11, 2009

I just wanted to thank all of you for putting up your stories. I am a sophmore(15) in highschool and i have been dippin since freshman year. I just want let you know that chew,(which i do it too) it doesn't make you cool and girls like the guys who are clean. I haven't had any side affects so far but I'm going to quit. I like my teeth,tongue,lips,etc. I really appreciate your heartfelt stories and I am going to quit this nasty and horrible habit i started.
p.s. God Bless to the people who lost friends and relatives to any form of cancer.I lost my step-dad in 5th grade to it.

Jarrod | 11:19 a.m. March 13, 2009

its not that bad. i have beend ipping for 4 years and feel fine got white teethe and no cavities

clint | 1:16 p.m. March 16, 2009

IM 15 AND I LIVE IN A SMALL TOWN IN MICHIGAN. I STARTED TO USE CAMEL POUCHES ABOUT A WEEK AGO BUT DECIDED TO QUIT THAT AND START THE HARD CORE CHEW GRIZZLY WINTERGREEN EVERYONE DOES IT IN MY SCHOOL EVEN GIRLS I DONT PLAN ON QUITTING EVER , KEEP DIPPING .

Southern Boy | 6:07 p.m. March 17, 2009

I started smokeing in the 8th grade i went from newports to marlboro reds then i went to longhorn straight then i went to grizzly wintergreen long cut im am still dipping grizzly i dont dip that much cuz i smoke more but i use the dip when im in school or in mi room i can quit if i want to and i have i just went back to it all because it gives me something to do and it alows me to think clearly but i have intentions to quit smokeing but not dipping my whole family uses nicotine products and none of them can quit, im the only one in mi family who can willingly quit whenever i am not addicted to nicotine at all

Tyler | 12:08 p.m. March 20, 2009

I have just recently started " like yester day" and ive done it about once a day so far and it feels good when i do it but i dont know if this will effect me that much Iam 15

Redneck Evilkenivil | 5:58 a.m. March 25, 2009

I have been dippin for about three weeks know and can't stop i've tried. Dippin is fun and cool so guys let try to quit

dave hoyt | 7:45 a.m. March 29, 2009

i started chewin about 14-15 yrs ago.one day for no reason i realized what a stupid thing i do,i chew on a leaf and spit,i quit feb 18 09,haven't chewed once,i had asore throat, walked around in afog for afew days,was grouchy,allthe stuff,it's your life,no one person will ever persuade you to quit,dont quit for anybody but yourself,because when you're goin thru withdraw,you will take it out on them,and stop feeling sorry for yourself,you got yourself into this mess,good luck,it's a tough thing to kick,sounds corny but i think it was a gift from upstairs,trials and tribulations.o yea stay busy and start with non salted pumpkin seeds,keep your tongue movin.sugar free gum-i prefer stride-to this day i dont know why i quit all of a sudden,but im glad i did-its gross.

Bruce | 3:12 p.m. March 31, 2009

i started dip because of my friend after a baseball game. i did skoal flavors and grizzly wintergreen. it tasted pretty good. i was 12 when i started and now im 14 i quit 2 months ago and it has been hard. i get the cravings a lot. but im good at resisting the craves. the thing that has helped me quit the most was because of my girlfriend. she said if i keep doing it she wouldnt talk to me. im also scared of cancer. i found a white mark on my lip but that went away after a week. sometimes i throw up when i do it, thats helped me quit because i hate that feeling. i used to dip during baseball games, but now i do the shredded beef jerkey and do sunflower seeds. that helps a ton. good luck to everyone trying to quit.

Mark | 3:59 a.m. April 8, 2009

I chew grizzly wintergreen long-cut. I love it. I know I should quit. I chew at work. If I don't have any at work, I'm tempted to leave work early to go get a can. I don't know how I'm going to quit, but I know I should, for my kids. After seeing these pictures, I'm going to try harder. Not sure if I'll be able to tho'.

girl | 9:16 a.m. April 10, 2009

i am 17 and have been chewing since 8th grade. i chew about 7 times a day. i prefer to chew cherry skoal. i noticed last year that i need to take really big pinches to satisfy my cravings. everyone in my school has tried dip at least once and 3/4 of them dip regularly. my dad, my cousins, and my friends also chew. so do some of my siblings. i like to chew while playing a game of poker, while playing pool, while on my computer, while playing my guitar, while watching tv, while cruising in town, while in class, or when im just chillin' with friends. its just become a really bad habit i cant seem to break free of. i just packed my lip with redman while i was checking my email and decided to google "redman chewing tobacco" and i came across this page. iv tried to quit a few times before but it never seems to work out. this time im gonna just try to cut down to one pinch a day, then see how much i could progress from there. i noticed that im like the only girl on this page.

john | 8:13 p.m. April 11, 2009

I had my first dip march 16, 2008 and today found out i have cancer on the back of my tongue. I have a 50/50 chance of losing the entire tongue. I only had 1-3 dips a day for less then a year. I'm only 17. You all should quit.

RFM | 10:01 a.m. April 22, 2009

IVE BEEN DIPIN FOR A WHILE SO TODAY I QUIT

Zach | 5:07 p.m. April 26, 2009

I have chewed a tin a day for 2 years and have tried quiting but rehab is for quiters and im not a quiter.

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Stuart Johnson, Deseret News

Former baseball player Rick Bender speaks at UVSC about surviving oral cancer caused by chewing tobacco. He lost part of his tongue and jaw in surgeries.