Mangrove Silviculture and Restoration

Abstract

Introduction: When assessing the health risks associated with different tobacco product categories (e.g., combustible andnoncombustible), it is important to understand exposure. Snus, a smokeless tobacco product with lower levels of most tobaccorelatedtoxicants than cigarette smoke, has been recently introduced in the United States. The objective of this study was to evaluatethe mouth-level exposure ({MLE)} to selected tobacco constituents from snus by adult consumers of Camel {SNUS} ({CSNUS).}Methods: For 7 days, 53 adult {CSNUS} consumers used their usual brand styles ad libitum, collecting their snus pouches after use.The collected pouches and unused product were analyzed for nicotine, N´-nitrosonornicotine ({NNN)}, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone ({NNK)}, N´-nitrosoanabasine ({NAB)}, N´-nitrosoanatabine ({NAT)}, benzo[a]pyrene (B[{a]P)}, arsenic, cadmium,chromium, lead, and nickel. {MLE} was estimated using the difference between the constituent amounts in the used andunused snus products.Results: {CSNUS} consumption averaged 3.3 pouches/day or approximately 1.98 g/day. Mean nicotine {MLE} was 2.8 mg/pouchor 9.4 mg/day. Mean {MLE} to total tobacco-specific nitrosamines ({TSNAs:} {NNK}, {NNN}, {NAB}, and {NAT)} was 171.5 ng/pouch or527.7 ng/day. B[{a]P} {MLE} averaged 0.2 ng/pouch or 0.68 ng/day.Conclusions: This study is the first to report snus {MLE} under normal conditions of use in a group of adult, {U.S.} snus consumers.On average, approximately 60%–90% of the amounts of nicotine, {TSNAs}, and B[{a]P} initially present in a snus pouchremained in the pouch after use by snus consumers in this study. The results from this study provide a preliminary assessment ofexposure to constituents present in snus, which is potentially useful in risk assessment.