Tony Gwynn does not believe chewing tobacco should be banned in MLB

by jbox on Apr 21, 2011 3:19 PM PDT

You'd think that Tony Gwynn would condemn the use of chewing tobacco and push Major League Baseball to make it a banned substance after contracting cancer last year. You'd be wrong.

Tony Gwynn ready to smile all the while after battling cancer

"There's a lot of people who think I should be the guy leading the charge," he said. "Everybody has to make their own decision. I made mine. Obviously, it wasn't a good one. Now I have to live with the results of that."

I'm not sure if it'd matter if Major League Baseball banned smokeless tobacco. They barely enforce their current rules, whether it be the use of performance enhancing drugs, fraternizing between opposing teams or the size of the strike zone.

Poll

Should chewing tobacco be banned in Major League Baseball?

Yes

64 votes

No

103 votes

167 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 24 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

As I get older

I find myself becoming more libertarian.

Chewing tobacco is disgusting and apparently dangerous. But making more rules isn’t always the best way to deal with things.

by scout1222 on Apr 21, 2011 3:23 PM PDT reply actions

This

I don’t like it one bit, but I think adults need to police themselves. As long as the risks and side effects are out there for everyone’s knowledge then let them make the decision for themselves.

This is a terrible thing for the Padres. - Jerry Coleman

by Padres_Hobo on Apr 21, 2011 3:48 PM PDT up reply actions

But we're not talking about legislating a ban on chewing tobacco.

We’re talking about MLB, an independent business entity, banning its employees from using it in the workplace.

by Darklighter on Apr 21, 2011 3:52 PM PDT up reply actions

Wasn't congress pushing this last year sometime?

I could be remembering it wrong, but I thought they had a hearing and such.

This is a terrible thing for the Padres. - Jerry Coleman

by Padres_Hobo on Apr 21, 2011 3:55 PM PDT up reply actions

The way I see it

is even if it wasn’t enforced and didn’t stop some players, I feel like the fact that there was a rule against it would make some players think twice about using it.

I need new pants.

I believe that we will win.

by jodes0405 on Apr 21, 2011 3:29 PM PDT reply actions

These guys are adults and can make their own choices.

As long as it doesn’t enhance their performance, it shouldn’t matter what they put in their bodys. Just my opinion.

by SoCalBoltFan on Apr 21, 2011 3:30 PM PDT reply actions

These guys are employees that have to abide by their employer's rules while on the job.

And there are several perfectly good business reasons for MLB to ban chewing tobacco.

by Darklighter on Apr 21, 2011 3:32 PM PDT up reply actions

Well achohol can cause liver disease

do you think MLB should ban that too?

by SoCalBoltFan on Apr 21, 2011 3:35 PM PDT up reply actions

He's talking about its use on the field

by jbox on Apr 21, 2011 3:35 PM PDT up reply actions

What good would that do?

The issue is about the players health right, or am I missing something here?

by SoCalBoltFan on Apr 21, 2011 3:38 PM PDT up reply actions

I think there's some concern about kids

seeing the use of the tobacco on the field and then trying it themselves.

by jbox on Apr 21, 2011 3:42 PM PDT up reply actions

bin-go

and in lower leagues… high school, etc…

by Zen Blade on Apr 21, 2011 4:04 PM PDT up reply actions

What jbox said.

It’s good from an image perspective. If it helps reduce usage in players even minimally, that’s just an added bonus. It’s not even unprecedented. It’s use has been banned on-field in the minors since ’93.

by Darklighter on Apr 21, 2011 3:46 PM PDT up reply actions

I definitely see your guys' points.

I was thinking the concern was more about the players health which I thought was just silly. But if MLB just wants to improve their image then more power to them.

by SoCalBoltFan on Apr 21, 2011 3:52 PM PDT up reply actions

There probably are good business reasons

I mean, my employer has rules governing what I can and can’t do at work, too.

But when the question is framed as “oh, wouldn’t it be better for everyone’s health!” I get a little twitchy.

Not that I’m consistent on this. I find the mandatory posting of nutrition information to be personally quite helpful. So save me from myself, but those chewers can go hang, apparently.

by scout1222 on Apr 21, 2011 4:31 PM PDT up reply actions