People with serious food allergies have it rough — especially those allergic to peanuts. Peanuts sneak their way into all kinds of food products and even tiny amounts of peanut dust can trigger an attack. For the allergic, being healthy means being vigilant.
In a gesture of goodwill and community education, the Seattle Mariners will make sure those people and their families can enjoy a peanut-free game of baseball. The team announced last week that it will offer peanut-free sections for Aug. 5 and Sept. 9 games. Those sections will be carefully cleaned, have heavy no-peanut signage and peanut-free concession stands nearby. The special section has already sold out for the first game, proving the high demand for allergy accommodations.
These two events are a welcome act on the Mariners’ part — some highly allergic people could never have attended a game otherwise. The team has even declared an entrance and route to the sections with the least peanut risk. Talk about welcoming.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 3.3 million Americans are allergic to peanuts, many of whom are children. That’s more than the population of Iowa. And according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, peanuts account for the greatest proportion of food-related deaths. Baseball and peanuts have a long-established connection, but with facts like that, peanut-free baseball seems only natural.
For unknown reasons, food allergies are on the rise. Baseball officials aren’t the first to experiment with going peanut-free. Parents of allergic children have lobbied schools and restaurants for years for clearer labeling and non-peanut alternatives. Local support groups also help families make the transition to a peanut-free lifestyle. One such group, the Washington Food Allergy, Eczema and Asthma Support Team, will be at Safeco Field during the peanut-free games to check the aisles before allergic fans arrive.
By offering this treat, the Mariners will join several major and minor league teams who have held peanut-free games or seating sections. The Clinton (Iowa) Lumberkings, San Diego Padres and Minnesota Twins are just a few names in the heartening trend.
For kids with peanut allergies, these games will be a rare chance to see some top-notch athletics without leaving their parents nervously clutching an epinephrine pen.
Some have labeled this idea as overregulation, but we call it consideration. We can think of 3 million Americans who might agree.
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