Smokeless Tobacco Risks

Smokeless Tobacco: Just an Issue for Blue-collar Workers?
09/30/2021 Megan Jacobs, MPH | Vice President of Product, Innovations – exprogram

Chewing tobacco. Snus. Snuff. No matter what it’s called, smokeless tobacco is dangerous. Those who provide healthcare benefits to a blue-collar workforce likely already have these terms on their radar. But if you don’t, you should. Here’s why. The average rate of chewing tobacco use in blue-collar jobs can be up to 7 times higher than among all working adults.

3 factors affecting blue-collar use of chewing tobacco
Why is chewing tobacco more popular in certain industries? Several factors make smokeless tobacco use more prevalent with blue-collar workers:

No smoke break required
Unlike cigarettes, smokeless tobacco doesn’t require workers to leave their workstation to use. This means they have easier access to nicotine throughout the day. As a result, smokeless tobacco can be used continuously, which exposes users to high levels of nicotine, resulting in high levels of dependence.

Intense levels of job stress
While every job has pressure, blue-collar jobs have unique stressors. Think long hours, for example, with long-haul drivers. In industries such as utilities, construction, mining, and transportation, safety concerns and responsibility for powerful equipment can also intensify job-related stress. To cope, some workers turn to smokeless tobacco for a pick-me-up without having to leave their job for a break.

Co-workers also use smokeless tobacco
Due to higher usage rates in blue-collar industries, workers who want to quit likely find themselves surrounded by colleagues who still use smokeless tobacco. Worksite tobacco use not only means they have to face temptation all day, but they may also have less co-worker support if they choose to quit. Click here to read this important article from ex program.