To the editor:
The American Gaming Association just released the results of its annual poll on gambling attitudes and habits, stating “Casino visitors are a portrait of the American electorate, and voters are giving policymakers permission to treat casinos like any other business.” If that’s the case, policymakers should take that permission and make our casinos 100 percent smoke-free, just like almost every other business.
More than 500 casinos and other gambling facilities successfully operate with 100% smoke-free facilities in the United States, including several owned by gambling corporations well known to many Nevadans, in Ohio, (Caesars Horseshoe, Penn National Hollywood facilities), Maryland (Maryland Live! and Baltimore’s soon to open Horseshoe Casino), and Colorado (Isle of Capris, Ameristar Mountain High Casino), to name a few.
Polling has shown that 84% of Mesquite voters believe it is important to have a smoke-free environment in all workplaces.
The reason smoking should be eliminated from all places of work is there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke. Ventilation systems do not alleviate the health risk of indoor smoking; the only solution is 100% smoke-free indoor environments. It’s time for Mesquite’s casinos to be treated just like almost any other business in the state.
Sincerely yours,
Donald Wayne Hendon, Ph.D. (Mesquite resident since 2003)
Thank you. I could not have said it better, myself.
84 percent may or may not want that. I don’t recall being asked.
Where have you been?
We have been collecting signatures at every function in Mesquite for the past 3 years.
I hope you people who want smoke free casinos in Mesquite get your way…….and then…..I hope they fold up from lack of business. close their doors and then you all will wonder why? Well, why are they not able to stay afloat? you will all say. It will be because at least 50% of the people who frequent the casinos don’t care if they are in the midst of smokers. or who are indeed smokers themselves. They will just begin to bypass Mesquite al together and go on to Vegas. If you all are hel bent on having a casino that is smoke free why not find your own investors and build your own. Maybe the location where the old Oasis stood. There’s lots of empty space around Mesquite. Go find a spot and build to your hearts content and leave the other casinos alone.
The business owner shd be able to decide if they want smoke free or not
And the customer can decide if they want to spend there $$
If they r not happy with the business, spend your $$ elsewhere.