Potent Carcinogens (tobacco-Specific Nitrosamines) Found in Saliva of Nicotine Gum Users; When Will FDA Take Enforcement Action Against Nicorette?
An article in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology has revealed that tobacco-specific nitrosamines are present in the saliva of nicotine gum users, indicating that actual exposure to carcinogens results from the use of Nicorette gum (see: Osterdahl BG. The migration of tobacco-specific nitrosamines into the saliva of chewers of nicotine-containing chewing gum. Food and Chemical Toxicology 1990; 28:619-622).
The article reported three major findings:
1. "All the saliva samples obtained during Nicorette chewing contained NNN and NAT/NAB at levels ranging from 0.42 to 19 ng/g and from 1.3 to 46 ng/g, respectively."
2. "All Nicorette samples contained NNN and NAT/NAB, at levels ranging from 38 to 180 ng/g
and from 29 to 260 ng/g, respectively, NNK was found in two samples at levels of up to 3.0 ng/g."
3. "The levels of TSNA found in the saliva of Nicorette chewers seem to be higher than the few values of TSNA reported in the saliva of smokers."
Thus, this study found that carcinogens were present in nicotine gum, that gum users are exposed to these carcinogens, that these carcinogens are present in the saliva of gum users, and that the level of these carcinogens in the saliva of Nicorette users is higher than in the saliva of cigarette smokers. The latter finding is not surprising since the gum is being chewed, while tobacco cigarette smoke is inhaled.
Where are the carcinogens coming from? The article hypothesized that "the presence of NAT/NAB could be due to contamination of the nicotine extracted from tobacco leaves."
The article concluded as follows: "The saliva of Nicorette chewers contains carcinogenic TSNA. It is not possible at present to estimate reliably the carcinogenic risk for man of exposure to such very small amounts of nitrosamines. It is, however, desirable to reduce the exposure to these compounds whenever possible. It should be possible to reduce the levels of TSNA in the nicotine-containing chewing gum to a minimum by using a more appropriate method to extract nicotine from tobacco leaves."
The Rest of the Story: Tobacco News Analysis and Commentary
An article in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology has revealed that tobacco-specific nitrosamines are present in the saliva of nicotine gum users, indicating that actual exposure to carcinogens results from the use of Nicorette gum (see: Osterdahl BG. The migration of tobacco-specific nitrosamines into the saliva of chewers of nicotine-containing chewing gum. Food and Chemical Toxicology 1990; 28:619-622).
The article reported three major findings:
1. "All the saliva samples obtained during Nicorette chewing contained NNN and NAT/NAB at levels ranging from 0.42 to 19 ng/g and from 1.3 to 46 ng/g, respectively."
2. "All Nicorette samples contained NNN and NAT/NAB, at levels ranging from 38 to 180 ng/g
and from 29 to 260 ng/g, respectively, NNK was found in two samples at levels of up to 3.0 ng/g."
3. "The levels of TSNA found in the saliva of Nicorette chewers seem to be higher than the few values of TSNA reported in the saliva of smokers."
Thus, this study found that carcinogens were present in nicotine gum, that gum users are exposed to these carcinogens, that these carcinogens are present in the saliva of gum users, and that the level of these carcinogens in the saliva of Nicorette users is higher than in the saliva of cigarette smokers. The latter finding is not surprising since the gum is being chewed, while tobacco cigarette smoke is inhaled.
Where are the carcinogens coming from? The article hypothesized that "the presence of NAT/NAB could be due to contamination of the nicotine extracted from tobacco leaves."
The article concluded as follows: "The saliva of Nicorette chewers contains carcinogenic TSNA. It is not possible at present to estimate reliably the carcinogenic risk for man of exposure to such very small amounts of nitrosamines. It is, however, desirable to reduce the exposure to these compounds whenever possible. It should be possible to reduce the levels of TSNA in the nicotine-containing chewing gum to a minimum by using a more appropriate method to extract nicotine from tobacco leaves."
The Rest of the Story: Tobacco News Analysis and Commentary
