Spit Tobacco: Investigating the Use and Attitudes in BC

The Clean Air Coalition of BC, through funding from Health Canada, is conducting a project on spit tobacco, specifically obtaining information from and about youth, young adults, the First Nations community and those participating in organized sports about spit tobacco use and attitudes.

Spit tobacco use is an emerging issue in the tobacco control field. Many users of tobacco and tobacco companies are turning their focus to spit tobacco products - snuff and chew tobacco - as smoking tobacco products is increasingly difficult due to negative social stigmas and smoking bans. Conversely, many people have misconceptions on the health risks associated with spit tobacco use because it is not a smoked product. Because it does have highly additives drugs such as nicotine, spit tobacco often acts as a gateway substance to smoking tobacco.

There is little research or knowledge of spit tobacco use in general despite the work of organizations such as the National Spit Tobacco Education Program (NSTEP) in the United States and the Alberta Spit Tobacco Education Program (ASTEP). Even less is known of its use in BC. The Alcohol-Drug Education Service (ADES) is an organization in BC emerging as one on the front line of the issue through its work in developing the BC Spit Tobacco Education Program (BCSTEP) in conjunction with the Ministry of Health.

Although Health Canada reports that the national prevalence rate is 2% and 1% within BC, front line health care workers in BC anecdotally assume higher rates based on their day-to-day work. Certain populations are at higher risk: youth and young adults, First Nations, and those participating in organized sports teams (specifically baseball, football, lacrosse, hockey and rodeo sports) where spit tobacco use is historic.

The Clean Air Coalition of BC (CAC), which is comprised of the BC Lung Association and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of B.C. & Yukon, through this project, aims to obtain information on spit tobacco use from among these higher risk groups and those associated with them, such as parents and coaches of youth/young adult sports teams. The method of obtaining this information is and will be primarily through focus groups held throughout BC. The Clean Air Coalition of BC intends to draw upon the previous work and expertise of the organizations mentioned, and as a result of this work, further the knowledge of spit tobacco use in BC.