Carcinogenic Agents in Snuff

The oral use of snuff has been associated with an increased risk for cancer of the oral cavity and pharynx. The five most popular US. snuff brands were analyzed for alkaloids, volatile and tobacco-specific N-nitrosamines (TSNA), benzo[a]pyrene (CAS: 50-32-8), and polonium-210. The carcinogenic TSNA in the five snuff brands ranged from 9,600 to 289,000 ppb. These concentrations exceed the nitrosamine concentrations of other consumer products by at least 2 orders of magnitude. Polonium amounted to 0.16–1.22 pCi/g dry snuff. Trace amounts of benzo[a]pyrene (0.1–63 ppb) were indicative of contamination of the tobacco with thermal degradation products, probably due to fire curing or flue curing. The findings from this study, the biologic activity of snuff in animal models, and the epidemiologic studies on snuff use and oral cancer strongly suggest the need for reduction of carcinogens and especially of nitrosamines and polonium-210 in snuff.