The practice of artificial insemination by donor semen is increasing in the United States. Many sexually transmitted organisms are found in semen, but screening procedures for the detection of these agents in donor semen have not been standardized. Sexually transmitted organisms have been transmitted during artificial insemination by donor, and such transmission can cause local, disseminated, or fatal disease in the recipient woman and may harm the fetus or newborn. Therefore, screening of both the donor and the donated semen is necessary to avoid infectious complications. Because semen samples cannot be evaluated completely on the day of donation, the use of fresh semen for artificial insemination should be discouraged. Until accurate, rapid diagnostic tests are available, only frozen semen that has been appropriately screened should be used.

Smokeless tobacco (snuff and chewing tobacco) is reemerging as a popular form of tobacco, particularly among male adolescents. In different regions of the United States, from 8 to 36 percent of male high-school students are regular users. The use of smokeless tobacco has been shown to cause oral-pharyngeal cancer. The strongest link is with cancers of the cheek and gum. White mucosal lesions (leukoplakia) are found in 18 to 64 percent of users, often at the site where the tobacco was held. Other associations have been suggested for cancers of the esophagus, larynx, and pancreas. Nitrosamines, found in high concentrations in smokeless tobacco, most likely have a role in its carcinogenicity. Other health problems include periodontal disease, acute elevations of blood pressure, and dependence. In early 1986, after action at the state level, Congress enacted a federal law requiring health-warning labels on packages of smokeless tobacco and a ban on electronic advertising. Other regulatory measures under consideration include raising state and federal excise taxes, tightening controls on advertising, and prohibiting sales to minors. In view of the recent growth of this problem, policy makers are taking the opportunity to intervene with preventive measures to protect a new generation of tobacco users.