Should the Baseball Players Union Ban Chewing Tobacco During World Series Games?

October 20, 2011 11:27 AM

LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 6: Montreal Expos pitcher Carlos Perez works on a wad of chewing tobacco, between innings during his game against the Los Angeles Dodgers 06 June in Los Angeles. Perez is trying to protect his league-leading five game winning streak and 1.54 ERA. AFP PHOTO (DAN GROSHONG/AFP/Getty Images)

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ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KMOX) — Local health officials and four U.S. Senators from St. Louis and Arlington, Texas, are urging the baseball players union to agree to a ban on chewing tobacco at all World Series games and on camera over the next two weeks.

St. Louis City’s interim health director Pamela Walker is one of those who sent a letter to the Player’s Union asking for the ban. She says smokeless tobacco is not a safe alternative to cigarettes. Walker cites a study where forty percent of baseball players who use chewing tobacco had health issues. “They have sores, white patches, red patches, and lumps in their mouth. And most of them were under age 24.”

But these players are not only endangering their lives. Walker says when players use chewing tobacco on TV many kids who idealize sports figures might think its OK to use tobacco themselves.

The Cardinals have been very pro-active on this working with state and local groups on in stadium ads urging young people not to smoke or use tobacco.