A national study shows that high school athletes are increasingly using smokeless tobacco, commonly referred to as chew or dip. More than 11 percent of high school athletes nationwide, and an alarming 17.4 percent of male high school athletes, reported using smokeless tobacco in 2013 according to a study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That is compared to 5.9 percent of high school non-athletes using smokeless tobacco.

The Minnesota Department of Health’s 2014 Minnesota Youth Tobacco Survey found that 6.2 percent of all high school students statewide use smokeless tobacco. Boys are seven times more likely than girls to use smokeless tobacco. In fact, 21.6 percent of Minnesota high school boys have tried smokeless tobacco, and 10.8 percent are current users.

“ClearWay Minnesota is glad that Minnesota lawmakers support this important measure,” said Willoughby. “By keeping tobacco out of sports stadiums, we can help protect the health of our kids by decreasing their exposure to tobacco use. Kids look up to athletes and ensuring their sports stars set a good example is a great way to encourage healthy habits among young fans.”