Councilmember Kristerfer Burnett, of District 8, introduced a ban on all tobacco and nicotine products in city stadiums to the Baltimore City council on Monday night. If passed, it would add Baltimore City to the list of 16 other Major League Baseball cities that have prohibited the use of smokeless tobacco in the cities’ stadiums.

The Maryland Stadium Authority banned smoking in stadiums back in 2013 but Burnett says this bill aims to fill in any loopholes where chewing tobacco or other smokeless products could be allowed. With this measure, there would be no nicotine products allowed for players or patrons in any stadium, sports facility, or sports venue in city limits.

For Burnett, this bill is not just about improving air quality but protecting and setting a good example for the city’s youth who look up to both professional and amateur athletes. “Often they're on the broadcast chewing smokeless tobacco products, and young people are seeing that,” said Burnett during a press conference before he formally introduced the bill in the city council.

Advocates and supporters of the bill noted how tobacco companies have targeted Black communities when it comes to advertising products. They want to protect Baltimore’s youth from this “predatory practice.”

“Local studies show that Baltimore City youth use smokeless tobacco, nearly 50% more than the Maryland youth average,” said John Wooden, with Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, who spoke in support of the bill.

Burnett said there would be a sliding scale of fines for those that break the law so that parents at a community game wouldn’t pay the same fine as a professional player.

Sporting organizations have already been taking actions on their own to ban smokeless tobacco products– through a collective bargaining agreement the MLB prevents any player who debuted after 2016 from using smokeless tobacco.

A spokesperson from the Maryland Stadium Authority said the MSA is, “monitoring the proposed ordinance.”