Researchers seeking more casino dealers for smoke study

Friday, Nov. 16, 2001 | 9:42 a.m.

More than 40 casino dealers have agreed to take part in a landmark study on the effects of second-hand smoke, but researchers say the drive to recruit 375 volunteers has been hampered by the post-Sept. 11 layoffs.

More than 10,000 hospitality industry employees lost their jobs after the terrorists attacks and the ensuing economic downturn.

"After we first announced the study Sept. 5, there were dozens and dozens of phone calls from people interested in taking part," said Chris Pritsos, chairman of the Department of Nutrition at the University of Nevada School of Medicine and the study's lead researcher. "We lost a lot of that momentum since then, and we need to get it back."

Pritsos was awarded a $2.3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health for the four-year clinical trial, the first study to look at the effects of second-hand smoke in the workplace. The study will track how much cigarette smoke the non-smoking dealers are exposed to, and whether they face an increased risk of heart disease and cancer.

Non-smoking dealers will have their blood tested twice a year to determine levels of tobacco smoke by-products, including known cancer-causing chemicals. One group of participants will receive high doses of antioxidants, while the second group receives lower doses of the same supplements. A third group of participants will receive placebos.

Pritsos conducted an earlier study that showed antioxidants may provide some protection against the effects of second-hand smoke.

Pritsos said some potential volunteers expressed concern about the confidentiality of the study, fearing backlash from their casino employers. Participants are assigned numbers for the duration of the study, and their identities will not be revealed, Pritsos said.

One solution to the participant shortage would be to enlist the help of the casinos, Pritsos said. If researchers were allowed to post fliers in employee break rooms or even hold informational meetings on site, volunteer rolls would likely be boosted, Pritsos said.

No casinos have yet been asked to participate, Pritsos said.

Robin Camacho, spokeswoman for the American Heart Association's regional office in Las Vegas, on Thursday said that Pritsos' study could provide a wealth of badly needed information, which could aid future research.

"The American Heart Association supports the public's right to know about the dangers of second-hand smoke," Camacho said. "We encourage people to participate in the study, and to learn more about tobacco's effects on their heart."

When exposed to just 30 minutes of second-hand smoke, non-smokers face a greater risk of heart damage than do smokers, Camacho said.

Nevada has the nation's highest rate of adult smokers and also the highest number of deaths from smoking-related illnesses, federal studies have shown.

Nevada has the fewest smoke-free work environments of any state, according to the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. More than 25 percent of Clark County's work force is employed by casinos and hotels.

To qualify for the study, participants must be at least 25, non-smokers and work 20 hours or more per week as casino dealers. For more information, call 671-5037.