The death of baseball Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn from cancer he attributed to chewing tobacco rekindles warnings about the dangers of the habit.
Doctors from The University of Kansas Cancer Center said that smokeless tobacco leads to mouth, throat and voice box cancers which can be particularly devastating.
Dr. Edward Ellerbeck of The University of Kansas Cancer Center said great amounts of nicotine get into the system when chewing tobacco, making it very additive. Dr. Ellerbeck said rural areas of Kansas and Missouri as especially vulnerable to smokeless tobacco problems.
Dr. Terry Tsue, physician in chief of The University of Kansas Cancer Center urges tobacco chewers to see a doctor at the first sign of white splotches in the mouth.
Both doctors urge tobacco users to quit smoking and chewing tobacco as soon as possible. For help quitting call 1-800-QUIT-NOW.
To see a KU Hospital video about this subject, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQLP4a6sZxk.
– Story from KU Hospital