Rodeo promoter rejects tobacco sponsorships

An independent rodeo promoter pledged today to ban advertising, sponsorships and the distribution of free spit tobacco at all of his events.

Casper Baca, owner of Casper Baca Rodeo Co., which produces 50 rodeos a year throughout the Southwest, signed the "Bucking Tobacco Sponsorship" policy during a ceremony with Lt. Gov. Diane Denish; State Sen. Dede Feldman, D-Albuquerque; Dr. Alfredo Vigil, secretary of the New Mexico Department of Health; and Chris Baca, president and CEO of YDI, a contractor of the Health Department's Tobacco Use Prevention and Control Program. YDI helped Baca develop his anti-tobacco policy.

Rodeo has long been associated with spit tobacco, Baca said.

"We surround our young children with dangerous messages when we send them the message that tobacco and rodeo go together," he said.

Vigil said the danger from spit tobacco is large. It can lead to oral cancer, gum disease and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. About 8.5 percent of high school students reported using chew, snuff or dip tobacco in 2005.