Baseball legend Tony Gwynn lost his battle with oral cancer this month. He was 54.  Read more about Gwynn's illness.

Gwynn's passing has renewed the call from public health advocates to remove tobacco from Major League Baseball. While smokeless tobacco is prohibited in the minor leagues there are fewer restrictions in the majors. As tobacco use remains visible in baseball, trends in smokeless tobacco use may not change. The CDC recently reported no significant change in the rate of smokeless tobacco use among working adults. 

Want to get involved? Check out Knock Tobacco Out of the Park, an initiative to support tobacco-free baseball. Learn more about the health impact of smokeless tobacco use.

Health equity and tobacco

On April 25th, the FDA Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) proposed a Deeming Regulation to regulate other tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, cigars, little cigars, dissolvable products, and hookah. The FDA recently extended the comment period deadline to August 8, 2014. View this docket.

Want to submit a comment but not sure where to start? The Tobacco Control Legal Consortium has developed several resources including a fact sheet regarding the deeming regulation and talking points. View other available resources.

Learn more about comment opportunities available through the FDA CTP.

The American Public Health Association petition asking other pharmacies to remove tobacco products from their shelves is still open. Sign the petition.