Human health risks associated with selected elements in some tobacco products and their nicotine delivery capabilities.

Abstract

Smokeless tobacco use is on the increase among the population especially the youth in Ghana partly because of its perceived medicinal benefits and relatively less harmful and non-addictive effect. This study aims at a systematic classification of 51 smokeless tobacco product samples and 6 cigarette brands with different flavors and from different manufacturers from 11 different locations within the Ejisu Municipality. Moisture, pH, total nicotine, and percentage free base nicotine using previously published analytical methods from CORESTA. Target elements for analysis were Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mn, Rb, Sr, Mo, V, S, U, Zr, Tl, and Zn using XRF analyzer. The nicotine delivery capability of the locally produced snuff products; with mean pH 96.98 and percentage free base nicotine (% A) 96.98% was the highest, followed by dried tobacco leaves (mean pH: 25.93, % A: 25.93%) and the least being the cigarette products (mean pH: 5.49, % A: 0.33%). Menthol flavored snuff products (pH of 9.96; % A of 98.8%) had higher nicotine delivery capabilities than moringa flavored snuff products (pH of 9.77; % A of 98%). Users of C6, a smuggled cigarette product are liable to increased non-cancer health effects (HI value of 1108.35). C4 (highest pH of 5.58 with corresponding % A of 0.70) are liable to be dependent on the product than other examined cigarette products. Locally produced snuff products and dried tobacco leaves have potentially very high addictive levels of nicotine that may favor tobacco dependence. They can also lead to non-cancer health effects due to high hazard quotients and hazard index. It is recommended that further research on smokeless tobacco products focusing more on the carcinogenic nitrosamines and other identified mutagens be undertaken.