Boston mayor wants ban on chewing tobacco at ballparks

The mayor is expected to discuss the proposal Wednesday morning at a city park where he’ll be joined by public health officials and former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling.

Last season, Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn lost his bout with salivary gland cancer attributed to chewing tobacco use.

“It was more painful than anything you could imagine, ” he said, addressing the dozens of school-age kids in attendance.

“I am in support of banning any kind of tobacco at Fenway Park or in any public location”, said Schilling. Other smokeless tobacco makers did not immediately weigh in.

While San Francisco became the first to enact a similar city ordinance earlier this year (which will take effect January of 2016), it was led by the City Council.

The ordinance will ban smokeless tobacco or any other tobacco product at event sites for professional, collegiate, high school or organized amateur sporting events, including baseball, softball, football, basketball, hockey, track and field, field hockey, lacrosse, and soccer.

Altria, the makers of popular smokeless tobacco products Skoal and Copenhagen, declined to comment Wednesday.

Walsh’s workplace says these managing sporting occasion websites can be chargeable for assuring compliance and that indicators are clearly posted at entrances, dugouts, bullpens, coaching and locker rooms and press packing containers.

Specifically, he calls for banning use of smokeless tobacco products, which are defined as any product containing “cut, ground, powdered, or leaf tobacco and is intended to be placed in the oral or nasal cavity”. And the ban, which would come with a $250 fine, could be enacted just in time for next year’s baseball season: April 1st, 2016.

Of the 58 players invited to Red Sox spring training last year, 21 admitted using smokeless tobacco, which is a pretty significant amount. Los Angeles is also considering a ban that’s focused exclusively on baseball and does not impact other sports. We can do something about this.”.