On Tuesday, the Los Angeles City Council voted in favor of directing attorney of the city for drafting an ordinance in order to ban smokeless tobacco in stadiums and other sports venues.

According to Councilman Jose Huizar, smokeless tobacco will be banned in public school facilities, public parks, private school facilities, Dodger Stadium, Staples arena and wherever organized sports are arranged.

The Los Angeles Dodgers released a statement in which it has supported the ban. The statement said that Major League Baseball has been in favor of ban of smokeless tobacco at the Major League level since long. The Los Angeles Dodgers totally said it supported Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and the Los Angeles city tobacco ordinance.

According to former Los Angeles County Health director Dr. Jonathan Fielding, “Smokeless tobacco is the agent of a contagious disease. 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”.

A video of individual stories, together with that of former Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling, was viewed by the council chambers prior to the vote. Schilling, who is a survivor of oral cancer, believes that the disease was caused by chewing of smokeless tobacco for 30 years.

Padres Hall of Famer Tony Gwinn lost his life as a result of salivary gland cancer that is thought to be due to smokeless tobacco.