Commissioner Bud Selig and MLB Players Union head Michael Weiner received a letter from Senators Frank R. Lautenberg (D-N.J.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill ), urging them to ban the use of smokeless tobacco in the upcoming collective bargaining agreement.
The two asked Mr. Selig to bring up the matter in collective bargaining negotiations and they are not looking for a snap decision. A spokeswoman for Sen. Durbin, Christina Mulka said that for legislation prohibiting smokeless tobacco use in baseball, there were no plans.
MLB had no immediate response and it appeared to be chewing on the idea. Last spring, when Republican Henry Waxman of California and other Democratic House members made a similar request, it did not have much of a reaction. Over the past year, MLB has come under growing scrutiny for allowing its players to use smokeless tobacco. It may encourage use among kids and presents a health risk.
The senators wrote that the positive image of the sport is undermined by the use of smokeless tobacco by baseball players and sends a dangerous message to young fans, as they are highly influenced by the players and they look up to them as their role models.
They also highlighted on the numerous health risks of tobacco use and the troubling statistics. They added that every year, tobacco-related products kill 443,000 Americans and 1,000 American children and teenagers become new regular smokers each day. Cancer of the stomach, larynx, esophagus, oral cancer is caused by Smokeless tobacco.
One can always clearly see players or even coaches spitting tobacco, if you watch any major league game. In the minor leagues, smokeless tobacco has been banned. Banning in the major league is a tougher task as many players opposed to a ban. In the MLB, approximately one third of players are believed to use smokeless tobacco. In December, the current CBA expires.
