A new ban will prohibit all smokeless tobacco products at sports venues in St. Louis, Koran Addo of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. The bill was approved by the Board of Aldermen on Friday and is expected to take effect in all high school, college and professional stadiums within the city limits -- including the Cardinals’ Busch Stadium.
Under the ban, players, staff and fans will not be able to use any smokeless tobacco products, including chew, snuff and dip. A $100 fine will be levied for a first offense, followed by $250 for a subsequent violation and $500+ for any violation after that.
The measure will make St. Louis the ninth U.S. city with such a ban and will make the Cardinals the 12th MLB team to prohibit smokeless tobacco products in their stadium. While the new Collective Bargaining Agreement stipulates that new players must abstain from smokeless tobacco, several cities have not yet enacted a ban that extends to everyone within their sports venues.
California is expected to enforce a similar law that was passed by Gov. Jerry Brown in October 2015. The statewide ban will take effect in Anaheim, Oakland and San Diego prior to the 2017 season.