Tobacco

The ADA has long been a leader in the battle against tobacco-related disease, working to educate the public about the dangers inherent in tobacco use and encouraging dentists to help their patients break the cycle of addiction. The Association has continually strengthened and updated its tobacco policies as new scientific information has become available. ADA policy identifies nicotine as a drug and states that Congress should give the Food and Drug Administration the power to regulate such nicotine delivery devices as cigarettes and smokeless tobacco.

The Association has placed special emphasis on warning young people about the risks of using so-called "spit" tobacco, which has been linked to increased rates of dental decay, tooth loss, mouth ulcers and oral cancer. The Institute of Medicine has reported that children consume as many as 26 million packages of smokeless tobacco annually. The Centers for Disease control reported in 1999 that children as young as sixth-graders were using spit tobacco. And according to a University of Michigan study published last year, nearly 10 percent of high school seniors reported using smokeless tobacco sometime in the previous 30 days.

The ADA supports federal and state legislation that would prohibit or limit tobacco advertising and promotion, particularly if it appeals to children and teenagers.

It also supports legislation to strengthen the warning language in product labels and advertising, and make warning labels more conspicuous. Further, the Association encourages state legislatures to dedicate part of any money from tobacco settlements to providing dental care for those in need and to tobacco control programs.

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