i am a tobacco eater, and coincidently also a pack-a-day smoker. i began eating tobacco while trying to quit smoking. 

recently (within the past 3 years), i was diagnosed with severe anemia. as many folks are aware, anemia is associated with an eating disorder called pica. pica is a medical condition characterized by the eating of non-nutritional substances,ie. dirt, paper, chalk. my iron-deficiency (anemia) would explain my affinity for constantly chewing on ice and the ingestion of tobacco. 

i can honestly say that the eating of cigarette tobacco has only made me ill on few occasions because i tend to eat approximately half a cigarette and then chain smoke 2 cigarettes within a short amount of time. the amount of nicotine in my body was too much for my body to handle, however; i was only ill for about 10 minutes. it caused me to have increased salivation, profuse sweating, dizziness, nausea and basic feelings of dread over what i had done. but it passed and i can honestly say that i am still on the cigarette eating diet. this is the first time i have ever admitted to eating tobacco.