Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

letter to the editor:

Reasons to make casinos smoke-free

A question that is causing the nation to move in the direction of making all indoor businesses smoke-free is why should the 78.5 percent of the people who don’t smoke suffer the consequences of the 21.5 percent people who do? The question is particularly relevant to Nevada because of the casino industry and the fact that gamblers like to smoke. But not all gamblers. What are the percentages?

According to a UNR research paper in 2007, “Smoking rates among gamblers at Nevada casinos mirror US smoking rate,” approximately 21.5 percent of gamblers smoke.

To accommodate the 21.5 percent of people who are smokers, casinos, some more than others, spend a great deal of money to clean up the air to make the breathing environment bearable for nonsmokers.

Let’s speculate on what might happen if the Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act, passed by voters in 2006, were amended to make all Nevada casinos smoke-free. Would smokers stop coming to the casinos? Definitely not, no more than smokers stopped flying when airlines made planes smoke-free. Smokers would adapt by using nicotine gum or patches, and it would be business as usual.

The 78.5 percent of people who are nonsmokers would be ecstatic to be able to breathe smoke-free air. The casino employees would have reduced health risks. The casinos would have reduced cleaning and maintenance costs, and the carpets and furniture would smell better and last longer. People who had avoided casinos because of the smoke would come to Nevada.

Let’s get ahead of the curve and make the bold move to make Nevada casinos smoke-free. The benefits would be immediate and would be felt for generations to come.

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