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Report: Health officials seek to ban smokeless tobacco at Fenway Park |
03.31.11 at 8:59 am ET |
According to the Boston Herald, Red Sox manager Terry Francona may finally get the help he needs with kicking his chewing tobacco habit, as local health officials look to have all tobacco products banned from Major League Baseball games and ballparks.
While Fenway has already banned smoking within the park, the Boston Public Health Comission and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids are looking to ban chew as well.
“I understand this issue as a former smoker, but I also feel like we all have roles to play as we’re adults, and making sure that we’re not modeling unhealthy behaviors is something we can all do and do easily,” said Barbara Ferrer, director of the Boston Public Health Commission. “This would be another opportunity for our sports heroes to be heroes and really put out that very important image.”
Ferrer is looking to raise awareness of the issue and have it addressed during contract negotiations for the 2012 collective bargaining agreement.
Currently tobacco has already been outlawed in baseball’s minor leagues, the NCAA and the National Hockey League.
3 Comments for “Report: Health officials seek to ban smokeless tobacco at Fenway Park”
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March 31st, 2011 at 10:25 am
This is rediculous. Does this person realize how many people chew tobacco in baseball. It’s not like they’re hurting anyone. They’re adults. If they want to make decisions about their own health then that’s their choice. These health officials should just leave everyone alone.
March 31st, 2011 at 10:44 am
Unfortunately when kids idolize major leaguers who look like they’re dipping a solid 75% of the time on the field, it influences them, albeit very subtly. Some of those kids eventually move up from Big League Chew to Skoal. Bottom line, the image does have a deleterious impact on some percentage of individuals. Indirect damage is still damage.
April 1st, 2011 at 9:54 am
Agree with Science, but at the same time, I think educating people about the dangers and consequences of tobacco are all people should do. Curtailing ballplayers freedom of choice as adults to use tobacco is wrong.