Rodeo should warn fans about dangers of chew
Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Star-Tribune Editorial Board

The ties between chewing tobacco and college rodeo are hard to break, at least in Casper.

Though well-documented health risks have caused several courageous college rodeos to cancel tobacco sponsorships, the Casper-based College National Finals Rodeo obviously isn't ready to join them.

For partipating in a survey, people who attended the recent CNFR could obtain two free cans of chew. The U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co. also awarded several scholarships to the colleges of CNFR winners.

We've used this space previously to encourage the CNFR to wean itself from the smokeless tobacco habit. It's incongruous for a sport with young athletes to be subsidized by an industry whose product contains 28 carcinogens.

Realistically, we know the CNFR will continue welcoming the free cans of chew and the scholarships. After all, one reason the prestigious rodeo left its previous home in Bozeman, Mont., was that Montana State University refused to allow free tobacco samples.

But the "Through With Chew" campaign, based in Jackson and sponsored by the Wyoming Department of Health, at least deserves equal time at the rodeo to deliver its message that smokeless tobacco is not a safe alternative to smoking. (In fact, a National Cancer Institute study shows it delivers three to four times more nicotine than a cigarette.)

It can be argued that college rodeo has not reached the level of popularity where it can be choosy about its sponsors. But, while the rodeo may believe it needs tobacco money to sustain itself, it also needs healthy athletes and fans to continue supporting it.