A Major League Win for Tobacco Cessation: MLB Bans Smokeless Tobacco in Games

Over the summer, I shared with you the initiative among health commissioners from 15 major US cities – including Baltimore – to urge Major League Baseball to curb tobacco use among its players. When MLB announced the terms of the players’ new contract recently, we received extraordinarily good news: the new bargaining agreement includes historic limitations on the use of smokeless tobacco by players, managers and coaches.  

The new agreement prohibits players, managers and coaches from using smokeless tobacco during televised interviews, at team events, autograph signings and other appearances made on behalf of their teams. Any time when fans are in the ballpark, they will be prohibited from carrying tobacco products in their uniforms or on their body, and violators are subject to discipline.

Major League Baseball and the players’ union are jointly launching a nationwide public service campaign against smokeless tobacco, with youth – and in particular, young baseball players – as the target audiences. The Major League Baseball Players Association is establishing its own Tobacco Cessation Center, to be launched in the 2012 season. In addition, players will be screened for oral cancer during their annual physicals, probably at spring training.

This is extraordinary news, because the simple fact of the matter is that tobacco use is the number one cause of preventable death in the United States. As cigarette smoking has declined, the tobacco industry has increased its marketing of smokeless products and is spending record sums to promote them. But smokeless tobacco use is itself very dangerous, causing serious diseases of the mouth, including oral cancer. In addition, there is reason to worry that smokeless tobacco use by young persons may serve as a gateway to cigarette smoking, this nation’s leading preventable cause of premature death and disease. The new contract means that players, coaches, and managers will be offered the resources to quit and the screenings they need.

To show they are tobacco-free, many players turn their pockets inside out. That trend was pioneered by former Baltimore Oriole Tony Batista. Come Opening Day next year, I hope to see a whole lot more inside-out pockets on display.

While these provisions do not include an outright prohibition on smokeless tobacco use during games, they represent the first steps baseball ever has taken to begin breaking the game’s addiction to tobacco.  The new agreement will make a difference in how smokeless tobacco is perceived by young people, and hopefully represents a major step toward its ultimate elimination from the game.

To show your appreciation to MLB for taking this major step toward eliminating tobacco use from America’s greatest pastime, visit Tobacco Free Baseball and sign their online thank you letter. If you are anyone you know wants to quit tobacco, we urge you to call 1-800-QUIT NOW for information on how to stop.

Take care, B’more.

Snuffing out tobacco use in Major League Baseball

I love baseball.  I’ve been a fan ever since I can remember.  I have fond memories of going to the “house that Ruth built” in the Bronx and rooting for my heroes.  I played stick ball with the boys on the block and was on teams throughout my youth and into adulthood.  Not only did baseball (and softball) keep me active, but it taught me the values of being a team player. 

Yesterday I joined Health Commissioners from 14 other cities with Major League Baseball teams to urge MLB to prohibit the use smokeless tobacco.  Baseball players are an inspiration to millions of children and adults throughout the country. They should provide positive role models and take a stand against smokeless tobacco. 

Tobacco use is the number one cause of preventable death in the United States, killing more than
400,000 people each year. As cigarette smoking has declined, the tobacco industry has increased its
marketing of smokeless products and is spending record sums to promote them. But smokeless tobacco
use is itself very dangerous, causing serious diseases of the mouth, including oral cancer. In addition,
there is reason to worry that smokeless tobacco use by young persons may serve as a gateway to
cigarette smoking, this nation’s leading preventable cause of premature death and disease.

In his post "Motivation to quit chewing tobacco," Dr. Stephen Matarazzo, D.M.D., shares a poignant testimonial from Joe Garagiola, former ball player who regrets ever picking up the habit. He quotes Garagiola as saying:

“I chewed tobacco because it seemed to be the thing to do if you were playing baseball,” says Garagiola. “Everybody chewed when I was playing, and nobody knew the dangers of it.” But he’s seen the dangers since, losing three close friends to oral cancer and seeing the harmful effects of spit tobacco on other people.

“You won’t die of gum disease or yellow teeth, but develop oral cancer and it’s a terrible way to go,” Garagiola says. “Here you are with oral cancer from using spit tobacco, your jaw has been removed and you have to eat through a tube. You die one piece at a time. Spit tobacco is a horrible, horrible thing. I just wish I could get this message across to everyone.”

I urge you to join Garagiola and others as we speak out against smokeless tobacco. We need MLB to help us promote tobacco free lives.