Baseball struggles to drop the dip
3/19/2007 web-based article Donald Dorsey News-Press (www.newspress.com) Sox, Twins talk about breaking tobacco habit Terry Francona has been feeling grumpy this spring training in Southwest Florida, and Ron Gardenhire knows how he feels. The two baseball managers, Francona of the Boston Red Sox and Gardenhire of the Minnesota Twins, used to have a highly addictive habit, one that used to go hand-in-hand with their sport. Both managers, whose teams train in Fort Myers, used to use smokeless chewing tobacco, also known as dip, spit or chew. The nicotine in it traps users into craving it, and the habit can lead to tooth decay, cavities, gum disease, heart problems, precancerous mouth sores and oral cancer, said Dr. Herb Severson, who studies the issue for the Oregon Research Institute. Trying to stop spitting tobacco results in intense cravings, increased appetite, irritability and depressed moods, he said. "The addiction is not just the physical addiction to the nicotine," Severson said. "They really believe that it improves their performance, relaxes them and gives them other benefits. It's been conditioned to be a part of baseball, and it's a tough addiction to overcome." About 30 percent of big leaguers use spit tobacco these days, Severson said. That number has fallen from a peak of 46 percent in 1987. Drug education programs, public sentiment, stories of mouth cancer and a ban on chewing tobacco at all minor-league levels have all contributed to falling numbers of chewing tobacco users in baseball, Severson said. "My daughter came home [...]