Medicine: Into the Mouths of Babes

Increasingly popular smokeless tobacco is far from harmless

Sean Marsee was just twelve years old when he picked up some free samples of Skoal and Copenhagen tobacco at a local rodeo. Dipping snuff was a popular habit at his school, especially among the athletes. And Marsee, a budding track star, quickly grew accustomed to the feel of a juicy wad in his mouth and the slight head buzz that goes with it. By the time he entered high school, he was dipping his way through seven to ten cans a week. Then in 1983, his senior year, Marsee developed a painful sore on his tongue. It refused to heal,...

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