Smokeless tobacco products, such as dip and chewing tobacco, have been popular among baseball players for decades. But starting in 2016, the MLB prohibited new players from using any smokeless tobacco product. Many players supported the ban, especially after the deaths of player Bill Tuttle and coach Tony Gwynn from oral cancer raised awareness about the dangers of using smokeless tobacco.
Still, some players have switched to oral nicotine products such as Zyn, which are not classified as smokeless tobacco and therefore aren’t subject to the restrictions. Because these products are new to the market, their health risks have not yet been studied.