Use of ST has been banned by virtually all organized baseball associations, including Little League, the Babe Ruth League, the National Collegiate Athletic Association and all of major league baseball's minor league clubs. The Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Association has crusaded against ST use among players in both minor and major leagues by preventing free samples from getting into the clubhouses and by helping addicted players quit. However, even though dipping and chewing is illegal on tens of thousands of diamonds across the country, its presence on just 28 major league diamonds undermines all the efforts described above.

Most interventions that would curb smokeless tobacco require passage of new laws that the ST industry can thwart. One intervention that doesn't require a new law is the expansion of major league baseball's policy prohibiting tobacco use among minor league players. If the policy were to include all players, it would protect not only the health of the athletes, but also that of the millions of Little Leaguers who emulate them.

The image of baseball and its players and owners has suffered because of a lengthy strike that was driven in part by greed and self-interest. Baseball's image would benefit greatly if it gave something back to society—and that could be teaching young people good habits, not bad ones. It's time major league baseball made tobacco history.