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Two Democratic senators are asking baseball commissioner Bud Selig to ban all tobacco use in the sport, specifically citing smokeless products.
Sens. Dick Durbin of Illinois and Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey are suggesting that Selig push for a ban as part of the negotiations in the players' collective bargaining agreement later this year.
Major League Baseball banned tobacco use in its minor leagues in 1993, but still allows it in the big leagues. The senators say Major League Baseball "is undoubtedly complicit" in the increase its use with school-aged boys.
In a letter to Selig, Durbin and Lautenberg wrote, "We now know conclusively that smokeless tobacco endangers the health of baseball players who use it, but it also affects millions of young people who watch baseball."
"The use of smokeless tobacco by baseball players undermines the positive image of the sport and sends a dangerous message to young fans, who may be influenced by the players they look up to as role models," they wrote
The senators say they were motivated to write the letter because of an recent newspaper article written by Washington Nationals pitcher Steven Strasburg. The pitcher said his initial use chewing tobacco stemmed from a desire to emulate pro baseball players.
Referencing a National Youth Risk Behavior Survey, the senators say the use of smokeless tobacco products has increased 36% among high school boys since 2003, raising its use among all boys to 15%.
"While tobacco companies spend millions on ads tailored to attract young people to use tobacco products, MLB is undoubtedly complicit in attracting many young people to try smokeless tobacco after seeing their baseball heroes chew tobacco," they wrote.
The senators sent an identical letter to Baseball Players Association Executive Director Michael Weiner.
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First of all, I would like to remind you Republicans that it was Senator McCain and a Republican ran senate that went after baseball and PEDs.
Second, chewing tobacco in MLB is not the senate's issue. George Brett's use of chewing tobacco surely had an impact on me using, but so did my grandfather's use. I had to learn the lesson the hard way with two biopsies and two laser surgeries on my gums in the last year with more to come in the summer. I am fortunate enough not to have developed cancer YET. That being said, I had all the warnings. I read what the Surgeon General said. I received the literature in school. Ultimately, using that crap was my choice. MLB should actively promote not using tobacco, but it should be its choice.
Trillion dollar plus deficit spending for three years now.
Borrowing in the Trillions for the third year in a row.
Unemployment officially over 9%, and over 16% real unemployed (not even counting the nearly three million Americans counted as "marginally attached" because they would take a job if offered, but actually aren't actively looking and thus not counted in the government's official statistics).
Obama promises to veto the budget coming out of the house, apparently no matter who writes it, or what is in it. (I believe Democrats call that "bipartisanship")
Fannie and Freddie still losing billions of taxpayer dollars every month because the Senate refuses to regulate them (to the tune of just over 170 billion so far, and the taxpayers are currently on the hook for just over 5.2 Trillion dollars in mortgages that Fannie and Freddie are backing).
And what are Democrats in the Senate worried about? Why grown men chewing tobacco. Adults, who supposedly are free to do whatever is legal, being banned from doing what over 250 million adult Americans are free to do (whether they choose to or not, and despite how nasty it might be)
Gee, thanks Harry, you're really taking care of the nation, aren't you? As Senate Majority Leader, you sure have your party peers working on some really important things.
Now, about that ObamaCare that over 70% of the nation wants either repealed or changed.....Oh wait, I forgot, that's not important, no matter how many tens of millions of Americans don't want it, and no matter what it costs. Chewing tobacco is more important because Dick Durbin says it is.
Well it looks like the Egypt distraction is gone for Congress (I'm sure their sad) so it looks like we can waste time on baseball and rehash abortion and other social issues. Collectivity they aren't worth 2 dead flies.
Amen Brother!
Let them do their "Harri-Kari" thing. Less outlandish salaries to pay (i.e. when they kick off).
Besides, congress schmucks have nothing better to address - RIGHT ! Dave, they aren't worth a s--t !
What are the owners willing to give up in exchange for a tobacco ban? I hope this attention from the senators means they have balanced the federal budget, and ended all unfunded mandates on the states.
Enough already with tobacco. Either set the date and ban it or leave it alone. Of course we know it will never be
banned as the government is addicted to the revenues it produces as the users are to the nicotine.
The senators can do this because of MLB's "special" status, a privately-held, Congressionally-regulated monopoly.
But more interestingly, Congress could outlaw tobacco altogether, just like marijuana. So why doesn't that happen? Taxes. Federal and state tobacco taxes are important revenue streams. It seems the real message should be don't start to smoke or to chew, but if you do, DON'T STOP. The real reason Prohibition failed was lost liquor excise taxes coupled with the Depression nearly drove the Fed and states broke. Sound familiar? The motives may be real, but the politics are pure grandstand. MLB grandstand.
Maybe congress doesn't outlaw tobacco because we still have some Constitutionalists ( mostly Republicans ) who believe the Federal Gubbmint has limited powers??
how the hell do you bring your hatred for obama into this when its two senators doing this on their own accord? or you retarded or what?
MLB should cut a deal with Congress "We stop smokeless tobacco, you stop lobbyists and special interests having access to your offices". I'd bet Congress would call the dogs off after that offer.
Let me get this straight, with all the crap going on in our country this is what our senators are concerned with, you've gotta be out of your @!$%#ing mind, another good example of why I do not vote.
Maybe if you VOTED we wouldn't have idiots in office.
Wanna bet?
This is just plain stupid. Don't they have something better to do than meddle in people's private choices.
Get your GD noses out of our mouths.
My 5 siblings and I watched a lot of baseball over the years and none of us were ever tempted to stick that stuff in our mouths. My Grandpa used to dip and it stunk. By the way, He lived to be 96 and the doctor kept telling him That stuff would kill him one day. There's lots of other things that kill us that have absolutely nothing to do with tobacco products. As far as Polititians telling us what we should not do, they have no business. Kids are going to try anything that's offered because of peer pressure . Three 13 year old boys in my neighborhood got caught skipping school and drinking wine on the corner . None of their parents drank or smoked. And the kids won't say where they got the wine, but we suspect they broke into someones house and stole it. All the parents were at work.
Durbin wants to ban tobacco in baseball...
Palin finds no beneficial use of condoms for teenagers
Christie ODonnell wanted to ban masturbation...
the list just keeps growing...
Oh yes lets start burning books that have any hint of any sin in them that way the children will grow up pure without sin.......ban movies, art, all tv and magazine pictures ...facebook pictures....ban ban ban....but lets forget about funding education...take away higher education grants....what a screwed up world.....focus on the economy and the bank frauds...stock scams....things we need to worry about....get real
These two are poster boys for why we need TERM LIMITS! Pathetic.
Is it that U.S. Senators have nothing to do? MYOFB Durbin & Lautenburg.....................
Lautenberg is a joke. The only reason he is a senator is because he is from NJ. NJ is a true Blue State--the unions voted for the Democrate dispite his record, they voted for this guy becasue he was not a Republican.
The reason smokeless tobacco use continues to rise is because a person can't smoke anywhere anymore. A person can "chew" anywhere.
MORONS.........just distract the masses from the important issues....the lapdog media will pick it up.
And doesn't The Messiah smoke cigs?
Maybe they should ban it in the White House
Well lets not forget the sunflower seeds and bubblegum as well. Parents be parents and stop blaming somebody else for your shortcomings. Congressmen stay out of our personal decisions. MLB is also complicit in giving our children dreams - STOP THAT NOW. Gee.....
Isn't it amazing that Congress is worrying about MLB using smokeless tobacco and yet they keep the inner sactum of the Senate and House backrooms open to all of those knuckle headed congressmen who smoke, just like the Speaker of the House. Hypocrites I say!
Isn't it amazing that Congress is worrying about the use of smokeless tobacco in MLB and yet, they make no mention of those inner chambers that are their personal sanctums in the House and Senate where they all go to light up their cigs and cigars, like the beloved Speaker of the House for one. Hypocrites I say!
With the country in a major recession, our military fighting two wars, a massive budget deficit, and unemployment hovering at just under 10%, why are these fools worrying about the personal habits of millionaires who just happen to be professional athletes? Last time I looked, these are GROWN men. Smokeless or chewing tobacco is not illegal. It's sold and used by millions of people in this country. Personally, I think it's a filthy habit, but I don't think that I, the senators or MLB for that matter have the right to restrict the personal choices of these men. The best role model for any child is their parents. Parents need to sit down and explain to their children the effects of using these products such as mouth cancer. The same way you would explain the dangers of cigarettes and alcohol. Ultimately, it's that person's choice once they're an adult. We don't need the US Senate regulating people's personal habits. It's about choice and personal responsibility.
More government? No thanks.
How about working on something a little more important, like the economy, or jobs, or illegal immigration? How about the war on drugs? How's that going for you?