Smokeless tobacco use among adults in the Southeast

Tobacco use is associated with numerous illnesses and contributes to as man y as 400,000 deaths in the United States each year. Most tobacco use in the United States is in the form of cigarette smoking, but smokeless tobacco u se is particularly high in certain areas and within Certain subpopulations. Among US adults, smokeless tobacco use is associated with low socioeconomi c status, male sex, Native American race, and southern or rural residence. We review six studies among adults (greater than or equal to 18 years) desc ribing the epidemiology of smokeless tobacco use in the southeastern United States. These studies indicate that the Southeast, with its strong ties to tobacco production, is an area that requires intensive tobacco cessation s trategies targeting the use of smokeless tobacco as well as cigarettes.