LA Moves Forward With Snuffing Out Smokeless Tobacco At Ballparks
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) —The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to direct the city attorney to draft an ordinance that will ban smokeless tobacco from stadiums, fields and other sports venues.
"That would include our public parks, our public school facilities, our private school facilities, Dodger Stadium, Staples arena, wherever organized sports are played, smokeless tobacco will not be allowed," Councilman Jose Huizar said.
The Los Angeles Dodgers issued a statement expressing their support for the ban. "Major League Baseball has long supported a ban of smokeless tobacco at the Major League level and the Los Angeles Dodgers fully support the Los Angeles city tobacco ordinance and Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids," the statement said.
"Smokeless tobacco is the agent of a contagious disease," said former Los Angeles County Health director Dr. Jonathan Fielding. "It is not a mosquito flying around here that's going to cause a disease. This is done through the eyes, through the eyes of children looking at their heroes." he said.
Before the vote, a video of personal stories, including that of former Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling, was shown inside the council chambers.
Schilling is a survivor of oral cancer he believes was caused by 30 years of chewing smokeless tobacco.
Padres Hall of Famer Tony Gwinn died from salivary gland cancer--also believed to be caused from his use of smokeless tobacco.
"If I had not seen baseball players chewing before I tried it, I never would have tried it," Schilling said in the video released by Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
The city attorney's office will work out the details, including how to enforce the measure then return to the council with a proposed ordinance in 30 days.
