Editorial: No butts about it

Saturday, Aug. 18, 2007 | 7:21 a.m.

C ounty health officials have decided that being trendy and serving food only during daytime hours doesn't get Las Vegas' nightclubs off the hook for banning indoor smoking during all hours of operation.

A story by the Las Vegas Sun last week reports that the Southern Nevada Health District will no longer issue dual permits that allowed some businesses to operate as non smoking restaurants during the day and as non food-serving bars where smoking is permitted at night.

Such establishments were required to stop serving food before customers were allowed to start smoking, and had to ensure that the air had been circulated long enough to remove the smoke before food service resumed. Still, health officials concluded, such businesses cannot be considered smoke-free if smoking is allowed at any time.

Bars still may serve food in non smoking areas that are sealed off with walls and have separate restrooms and separate ventilation systems that prevent smoke from drifting into non smoking areas, the Sun reports.

The ruling affects some of the hottest clubs in Las Vegas, including the Venetian's Tao and Mandalay Bay's Rumjungle. It may not be easy to enforce a no-smoking rule on the customers of these bars - some of whom include high-profile celebrities and wealthy patrons who are used to getting their own way. The Health District intends to meet with owners of these clubs before taking action. But it is only fair that all of Nevada's establishments abide by the law. Nevada's voters said in no uncertain terms last year that they support the smoking ban, and it is up to health officials to see that those wishes are carried out.