Erin Byrnes, Quit Coach, Service Delivery:

Thanks to the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids' Knock Tobacco Out of the Park campaign and a national coalition of supporters, an agreement was reached in November that promises to improve the health of major league baseball. As of 2012, players, managers, and coaches will no longer be allowed to carry tobacco during games or to use it during TV interviews or when they have direct contact with the public.

I should clarify. They will not be allowed to carry it in their pockets during games. Carrying it in their mouths will still be fine.

While not realizing its ultimate goal of urging the league to ban tobacco altogether, the year-long campaign, mostly organized by public health and medical organizations, did manage to secure significant new tobacco regulations on and off the field. A great deal of support for the movement was garnered from politicians, youth baseball clubs, faith-based leaders, sports celebrities, and over 35,000 individual activists.

While this is a definite step in the right direction, the majors are way behind the times. Minor league baseball banned tobacco use completely almost 20 years ago. Smokeless tobacco products have been gaining popularity, especially among high school boys, where use is up over 30% since 2003. Big tobacco is getting free advertising from baseball that's reaching millions of youth - youth that are now supposed to be protected from their promotional efforts.

Professional athletes are heroes to many people. As long as kids see their favorite players ignoring the serious dangers of chewing tobacco and openly using it, the tobacco companies will continue chalking up runs and will remain in the lead.