Greeley Cans Distribution of Tobacco Samples

Source from:  denverpost.com By The Denver Post 12/05/2007 12/06/2007

The City Council's vote to ban free handouts may cost its Stampede a major sponsor. Greeley's City Council on Tuesday banned the handing out of free tobacco samples - including chewing tobacco - despite the danger that doing so would cost the annual Greeley Stampede a major sponsor. The vote was far from unanimous, with the ordinance passing 4-3 and the mayor voting against the ban, city officials said. Mayor Ed Clark could not be reached for comment. As part of its sponsorship, U.S. Smokeless Tobacco provides the scoreboard for the Stampede's rodeo as well as the staff to run it. The company also has a tent during the Stampede, where free samples of chewing tobacco are given out to anyone 18 or older. If U.S. Smokeless Tobacco pulls its sponsorship, the Stampede stands to lose up to $100,000 in rent for the scoreboard, Stampede officials have said. The Stampede also would have to hire people capable of operating the scoreboard during the two-week rodeo, officials have said. Proponents of the ban have said the expense is worth saving people's lives. The ban will not keep anyone of legal age from purchasing tobacco, just the distribution of free samples of the products, proponents say. The ban also is aimed at other events and venues that offer tobacco samples, such as bars and other public gatherings. Denver and Boulder have similar bans on the free distribution of tobacco. Enditem