U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company voluntarily recalls some of their products after consumers found sharp metal objects within their smokeless tobacco.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reports eight complaints of “foreign metal objects” in select cans. “In each case, the object was visible to the consumer and there have been no reports of consumer injury,” the FDA explained in a statement.
Some of the products subject to this recall include Sokal, Copenhagen, Cope and Husky Brands of smokeless tobacco. Consumers from Indiana, Texas, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Ohio have filed a complaint.
The FDA points out that a majority of cans are not affected by the recall. However, the U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company is calling for retailers to segregate the recalled products.
The U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company produces a broad range of smokeless tobacco products including dipping tobacco, chewing tobacco, snus and dry snuff. Their two biggest products include Copenhagen and Skoal. In fact, Copenhagen and Skoal both report $1 billion in sales every year.
Despite the possibility of ingesting a “sharp metal object,” smokeless tobacco is known to cause cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, nearly 30 chemicals found in smokeless tobacco cause cancer. These chemicals are nitrosamines, which are created in the manufacturing of tobacco. Smokeless tobacco can cause oral, esophageal and pancreatic cancer. Also, smokeless tobacco may also cause gum disease, heart disease, and leukoplakia. In regards to addiction, the National Cancer Institute argues that just like all tobacco products, smokeless tobacco is also addictive because of nicotine.