During the course of this research paper, I will define what oral cancer is, what some of the biggest contributing factors that lead to this type of cancer, and what the relationship between oral cancer, smokeless tobacco and baseball is. In addition to that, I will highlight how this cancer can be eliminated with the proper treatment, how to educate people on the dangers of smokeless tobacco and provide some examples of famous baseball players and how oral cancer has affected their lives.
What is oral cancer exactly? By definition, oral cancer “is a growth of malignant cells in any part of the oral cavity, which includes the lips, tongue, hard and soft palates, salivary glands, lining of the cheeks, floor of the mouth or under the tongue, gums, and teeth.”
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Gwynn's use doesn't specifically come to mind because so many of his fellow Major League Baseball players had the same habit.” (Wilson 2014) What exactly is smokeless tobacco? “It is the general term for two products: chewing tobacco and snuff. Though snuff can be inhaled, most users place smokeless tobacco in their mouth and suck on it, periodically spitting out the juices. “ (Wilson 2014) The hazards of smokeless tobacco are many. Did you know that smokeless tobacco contains more than 28 carcinogens? There are many other baseball players that have used smokeless tobacco and still struggle with it to this day. David Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox told the Boston Globe that he “uses it as a stimulant when he comes up to bat.” Some legendary players such as Babe Ruth and Brett Tuttle used smokeless tobacco and it ended up giving them cancer and they died as a result. Former All Star Curt Schilling said that he underwent treatment for cancer due to the use of smokeless tobacco. It is plain to see that smokeless tobacco and baseball has a direct link. That link is oral
Baseball?s reputation has been painted with a red asterisk. The non-medical use of steroids has been banned according to the Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 1990. Many baseball athletes have been caught or presumed illegal users of HGH or Steroids since the act passed in 1990. All these athletes have one thing in common, they want to have an edge or advantage on the game. Some athletes even admit to administering the drug to other athletes and themselves. Jose Conseco testified to personally injecting the steroids into Mark McGuire (Cote).
My grandmother grew up in Americus, GA, a rural town over 100 miles south of Atlanta. Her parents were of Cherokee descent, so I asked her about any herbal remedies passed down to her. She told me of several, but the one that she remembered with the most clarity was rabbit tobacco.
In Jose Canseco’s 60 Minutes interview, he stated that he and some of his teammates used steroids in the past. With all the hoopla surrounding Major League Baseball and its connection with allegations made by BALCO president Victor Conte, this report is intriguing at the least. High profile athletes such as Jason Giambi and Barry Bonds have been under direct scrutiny over the past year because of the steroid issue. Canseco firmly states that he and former teammate Mark McGwire casually injected together during their playing days as an Oakland Athlete. “After batting practice or right before the game, Mark and I would duck into a stall in the men’s locker room, load up our syringes and inject ourselves” with steroids, starting in 1988, Canseco wrote, according to an excerpt made by the N.Y. Times. Tony Larussa, manager of the A’s at the time denies that his players ever used steroids. Supposedly, steroids give an edge to a players’ psyche as well as increased size and strength. Larussa then reiterated that McGwire got his strength and size from weightlifting and a careful diet. In a league where the most glaring aspect of the sport is the art of the homerun, it seems as if these allegations could be possibly true. Homerun king Mark McGwire has made a name for himself with hitting the long ball. He and Sammy Sosa, another alleged user has a hit an impressive amount of homeruns over the span of their careers. Canseco also called out former Texas Ranger Rangers teammates, Ivan Rodriguez, Jose Gonzalez, and Rafael Palmeiro. All the players named above are potential Hall of Famers.
Growing up with a best friend who has been smoking since middle school, I have seen many of the negative effects it has on a person. Football was a passion and way of life for Andy; however, smoking caused him to struggle with breathing while running up and down the field. He would cut down on his daily amount of cigarettes before and during the season, but cutting down was little help for him. Not only was his breathing affected by smoking, but he also had yellow teeth, smoker’s cough, and would get “the shakes” when in need of a smoke.
During the time period 1450 to 1750, the world went through major change and development. Nomadic power declined, and European Kingdoms became world powers. A world trade network was set up as contact amongst nations increased immensely. A population boom occurred throughout the world. Many civilizations that were once isolated were brought into the world economy. The Americas unknown until Christopher Columbus’ voyage in 1492 became a major part of the world economy as many European nations colonized much of the land. Large sea trade arose during this time period first by the Portuguese and Spanish and later by the English, French and Dutch. As European countries began exploring the Americas, an exchange of crops, animals, raw materials, diseases and new ideas were exchanged between the Americas and the rest of the world. This is known as the Columbian Exchange. One major component of the Columbian Exchange was the discovery of tobacco. Tobacco was first discovered in the Americas and became as cash crop. It was imported back to Europe, where it became vastly popular. As many middle class Europeans people began smoking, the demand for more tobacco from the Americas increased; colonies were set up to produce tobacco. With the demand for tobacco so high, labor was needed to farm the crop causing slaves to be imported.
Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States and worldwide (Centers for Disease Control, 2013, World Health Organization, 2008). Tobacco cessation counseling is a vital component of any public health strategy seeking to decrease mortality, disease and costs associated with smoking. To that end, the Healthy People 2020 Tobacco Use Objectives cover three main areas: reducing tobacco use, instituting health system changes, and creating social and environmental changes (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2013). Objective TU-10 falls under the category of health system changes as it seeks to open doors for patients to make quit attempts and to pursue tobacco cessation methods by increasing tobacco cessation counseling by physicians and other health care providers.
Cancer of the lung was nearly nonexistent in the early 1900’s. By the middle of the 20th century an epidemic became apparent throughout the United States and the rest of the world. It is primarily correlated with the widespread abundance of cigarette smoking in the world. The tobacco industry has multiplied its production immediately prior to World War I. There was a typical 20 to 30 year lagging period between the initiation of cigarette smoking and the actual tumor formation in the lungs. Lung cancer is the cancer that originates in the tissues of the lungs. It occurs when cells in the lung start to grow rapidly in an uncontrolled manner. Lung cancer can start anywhere in the lungs and affect any part of the respiratory system. Most of all lung cancer cases start in the lining of the bronchi (health-cares.net, 2005). It is the leading cause of all cancer deaths in the world. During this time the tobacco companies would continue to say that cigarette smoking was not addictive and did not cause any type of cancer. Even with all evidence in the world today about tobacco causing cancer, Tobacco companies still remain the most profitable business in the world. Lung cancer is very common in both women and men. Women account for about 40 percent of the lung cancer cases in the world. Women who smoke are more than twice as likely to develop lung cancer as those of men who smoke (Tavor, 2005).
Oral cancer can be deadly if it is not caught early on. It is important for people to look at the chances of them getting oral cancer and if they have a family history. They need to understand that there are environmental factors around them that they can avoid to ensure they live as long and as healthy a life they can. Cancer is not avoidable; however, it is important for people to do everything in there power to avoid the disease that if not caught can do harm to so many.
After Bill Tuttle received the news of his cancer he spent the rest of his long-lived life trying to draw young adults, as well as full grown adults and athletes away from smokeless tobacco. Even the greatest player to ever play professional baseball, Babe Ruth, made a disgusting habit out of chew. He died at a ripe age of 52 from an or pharyngeal tumor, which is a cancerous tumor that develops in the back of the throat. But as we all know, it’s not only athletes who regret their use of chewing tobacco. According
Smoking cigarettes is a detrimental practice not only to the smoker, but also to everyone around the smoker. According to an article from the American Lung Association, “Health Effects” (n.d.), “Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S., causing over 438,000 deaths per year”. The umbrella term for tobacco use includes the use of cigarettes, cigars, e-cigs and chewing tobacco. While tobacco causes adverse health consequences, it also has been a unifying factor for change in public health. While the tobacco industries targets specific populations, public health specifically targets smokers, possible smokers, and the public to influence cessation, policies and education.
• Wexner Med. Corp. "Oral Cancer and Tobacco." Oral Cancer and Tobacco. Ohio State University, Aug. 2010.
Tobacco companies started making collection cards, with photographs of models and baseball players, in cigarette packages to encourage new smokers. In 1964, the United States Surgeon General released a report stating that cigarette smoking was causing health hazards. As to American people that abused of cigarettes thought that consuming it wouldn’t cause any harm even when medical statistics were coming out to light. Smoking cigarettes has been part of American Culture for centuries and no body is about to stop this consumption because of several statistics. Many people that knew about this controversy didn’t know a way to stop it, only that it would continue to be part of an american’s life.
Smoking is a simple process of inhaling and exhaling the fumes of burning tobacco, but it has deadly consequences. According to the American Cancer Society, smoking is the most preventable cause of death in America today (Encarta, 2002). Until the 1940?s, smoking was considered harmless. It was at this time that epidemiologists noticed a dramatic increase in the cases of lung cancer. A study was then conducted between smokers and nonsmokers to determine if cigarettes were the cause of this increase. This study, conducted by the American Cancer Society, found increased mortality among smokers. Yet it was not until 1964 that the Surgeon General put out a report acknowledging the danger of cigarettes. The first action to curb smoking was the mandate of a warning on cigarette packages by the Federal Trade Commission (Encarta, 2002). In 1971, all cigarette advertising was banned from radio and television, and cities and states passed laws requiring nonsmoking sections in public places and workplaces (Encarta, 2002). Now in some cities smoking is being completely banned from public places and workplaces and various people are striving for more of these laws against smoking.
Tobacco is made from dried up tobacco leaves prepared with chemicals to create products such as: chewing tobacco, dip, and loose tobacco to be smoked on cigarettes and pipes. There is a demand for tobacco and if companies were to stop making tobacco, then another company will sell it due to supply and demand. Even though people do choose to buy tobacco products on their own free will. Tobacco companies are partly to blame for smoking related illnesses and deaths since they knowingly create a product that is harmful, in addition, they try to appeal to a younger audience, and lastly, tobacco products are highly addictive.
Smoke Free Society Imagine yourself having dinner with your significant other in a fancy Italian restaurant. A huge lamp is hanging on the sky-high ceiling. brightening the 200-person capacity room. The sound of a soft and gentle music creates a romantic atmosphere. It is the most wonderful evening that you ever had in your life until a skinny.