- Categories:
- Special Interest
- Tags:
- AwarenessHealth
- Where:
- United States
- Date change rule:
- Week starting with the 3rd Sunday of February
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Through with the Chew Week raises vital awareness every third week of February, highlighting the serious dangers of smokeless tobacco. This campaign educates the public on the various health risks, from cancer-causing chemicals to gum disease and tooth loss. Join the movement to spread awareness, support cessation efforts, and protect public health.
Want to sponsor Through with the Chew? Learn how
Expected Through with the Chew Deals
As a Cause holiday, Through with the Chew Week focuses on public health campaigns rather than commercial deals. Organizations like the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and the American Cancer Society partner with health departments to offer free educational materials, cessation resources, and support hotlines. Many local health clinics and community centers provide free screenings and counseling during this week. Look for online webinars and social media campaigns from groups like the Truth Initiative, encouraging people to share their quit journeys and access tools. We will update this page with confirmed live resources and events as February approaches.
Platform Guide for Through with the Chew
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Mention @NatlToday and use #ThroughWithTheChew. Share facts about smokeless tobacco risks and resources for quitting.
Mention National Today (facebook.com/nationaltoday) and use #ThroughWithTheChew. Host a live Q&A with a health expert on tobacco cessation.
Tag National Today (linkedin.com/company/nationaltoday) and use #PublicHealth. Share insights on workplace health policies regarding smokeless tobacco.
Through with the Chew Hero
Dr. C. Everett Koop
History of Through with the Chew
The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation, Inc. launched the campaign in 1989 and has continued to this day. The goal was to coordinate a public awareness campaign on spit tobacco with dentists, healthcare practitioners, sports coaches, and teachers, to achieve this goal. To sever the link between baseball and smokeless tobacco, Oral Health America’s National Spit Tobacco Education Program (N.S.T.E.P.) teamed together with the tobacco industry in 1994 to launch the N.S.T.E.P.
Tobacco that does not produce smoke is divided into two categories: chewing tobacco and snuff. Chewing tobacco is offered in a variety of forms, including loose-leaf, plugging, twisting, and snuff. Snuff is finely ground tobacco that is offered in a variety of forms, including dry, moist, and tea-bag-like pouches known as sachets. The majority of smokers who use smokeless tobacco insert the product between their gum and cheek, while other varieties of snuff can be used by sniffing or inhaling it directly into the nostrils.
Chew contains at least 28 compounds that have been linked to cancers of the mouth, esophagus, and pancreas, according to research published in Cancer Research. The removal of tissue and bone, including the tongue and jaw, may be necessary for the treatment of oral malignancies. Smokeless tobacco can also lead to gum disease, heart disease, and precancerous mouth sores, among other health consequences. Chewable nicotine products, on average, give a larger amount of nicotine than cigarettes, making them more habit-forming.
Through with the Chew timeline
The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation, Inc., spearheads the effort to raise awareness.
The N.S.T.E.P. of Oral Health America teams up with T.W.C. to sever the link between baseball and smokeless tobacco.
As a 10-piece blister card comprising compressed tobacco, mint, and eucalyptus, tobacco tablets are introduced to the market.
Swedish Match creates and sells a tobacco-chewing gum under the brand name "Fire" as an alternative tobacco product and tests it in Tokyo, Japan.
How Businesses Can Celebrate Through with the Chew
Local businesses, especially healthcare providers and wellness centers, can actively support Through with the Chew Week by offering free informational sessions or discounted cessation programs. Pharmacies can highlight nicotine replacement products and provide counseling. Workplace wellness programs can host internal campaigns, sharing resources and encouraging employees to commit to a tobacco-free lifestyle. Restaurants and cafes can promote healthy eating and a tobacco-free environment, reinforcing the message of overall well-being.
Through with the Chew FAQs
When is Through with the Chew Week?
Through with the Chew Week 2027 is observed from Sunday, February 21, to Saturday, February 27, continuing its mission to raise awareness about smokeless tobacco dangers.
What are the health risks of smokeless tobacco?
Beyond cancer, smokeless tobacco use can lead to nicotine addiction, heart disease, and reproductive issues. Its harmful effects extend to severe dental problems, including permanent gum recession and bone loss around the teeth.
How many people use smokeless tobacco in the U.S.?
While overall tobacco use has declined, smokeless tobacco remains prevalent, particularly among certain demographics. Each year, public health campaigns aim to reduce these numbers further through education and cessation support.
Is smokeless tobacco safer than cigarettes?
Both smokeless tobacco and cigarettes are highly addictive and detrimental to health. The perception of smokeless tobacco as ‘safer’ is a dangerous misconception that public health initiatives actively work to correct, emphasizing that all tobacco is harmful.
How to Observe Through with the Chew
Encourage someone to quit
You can encourage someone to quit smokeless tobacco today. You can mobilize your friends or the youths in your area to go around encouraging people in the neighborhood to quit and why it is important for them to quit.
Educate people
Some people may not be aware of the effects of smokeless tobacco, so today is a great day to increase awareness of the effects. The first step towards change is an awareness of an issue, so letting people know about it is a good first step.
Perform oral health checkups frequently
If you are a regular user of smokeless tobacco products, it is important to schedule regular oral health checkups to catch any diseases quickly. Or, if you know any regular users around you, you can encourage them to schedule regular appointments with their doctor or dentist.
5 Interesting Facts About Smokeless Tobacco
Substitute
Smokeless tobacco poses a considerable health hazard and is not a safe alternative to smoking.
Oral cancer
Tobacco smokers are at a higher risk of developing oral cancer than non-users, and these tumors can develop within five years of frequent usage.
Different cancers
Constant exposure to tobacco fluids from smokeless tobacco can lead to cancer of the esophagus, pharynx, larynx, stomach, and pancreas.
Oral problems
Mouth sores, gingivitis, decay, foul breath, and even permanent tooth discoloration are all possible side effects.
Higher nicotine level
Chew items can contain more nicotine and be more addictive than cigarettes.
Why Through with the Chew is Important
It’s a preventative measure
Through with the Chew Week is a great way to get users to quit and can help prevent oral cancers and other diseases associated with smokeless tobacco. It serves as a good way to encourage people to live without the use of harmful substances.
It encourages quitting
The more people quit smokeless tobacco, the better. Education makes people aware of the risks and effects associated with chewing tobacco and snuff, as it is not a safer alternative to smoking cigarettes.
It provides information
Even if you do not use smokeless tobacco products, several resources are shared on this day so that it will eventually get to the target. It not only gives information about the dangers but resources on quitting are also shared on various platforms.
Through with the Chew dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | February 15–21 | Sunday–Saturday |
| 2027 | February 21–27 | Sunday–Saturday |
| 2028 | February 20–26 | Sunday–Saturday |
| 2029 | February 18–24 | Sunday–Saturday |
| 2030 | February 17–23 | Sunday–Saturday |
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