Before I discuss the proposed smoking ban let me disclose that I do not smoke, have never been associated with the casino industry and am not a part of any business in this state.  The campaign against smoking in Mesquite is an obvious well-funded effort to further limit our freedoms, and to impose the will of a few onto many.  The clean indoor air people have placed expensive ads in the DVT nearly every week with unsubstantiated data about the costs to Mesquite related to smoking.  The data is flawed and very misleading. They tell us we will save millions because the residents of our city will not have to be treated for heart, stroke and lung problems if the smoking goes away.  We have no idea what percentage of our population can relate smoking to these health problems as all personnel medical records are protected by HIPPA and they can only guess at the numbers.  The printed article is only good for wrapping a dead fish in.

Now lets look carefully at what you may be signing away in the petition to stop indoor smoking in public places.

The proposed ordinance is so restrictive that smokers will be limited to, virtually their private vehicle or home; that is, if their home is a single-family residence with no walls attached to any other property.  The ordinance is many pages long, but clearly says smoking is allowed in private residences that are not contained within multiple unit housing facilities, except if the private residence is used for child or adult care or a health care facility.  The ordinance clearly defined a multi-unit housing facility, as a building or portion thereof, that contains more than one dwelling unit in which a dwelling unit shares at least one common floor, wall, or ceiling with another dwelling unit.  It then lists apartments, condos, town homes, townhouses, and more.  Mesquite has 4,515 residences that fall into this category as of 2016.  Smoking will not be allowed in them whether rentals or owner-occupied, at least not on a patio or balcony if the unit has one.  I guess if one goes into the bathroom you are safe.  Read the ordinance!

There are numerous other places you will not be able to smoke such as playgrounds, common areas of any of the above including trailer parks private clubs and on and on.  If you don’t believe me, read the ordinance!

The owners of any of the above will be required to place signage of a type specified in the ordinance, at their expense in numerous places in and around the property.  Read the ordinance!  The owners of the property are required to call the police every time a violation occurs and they cannot personally enforce it.  Don’t believe me?  Read the ordinance!

The ordinance goes on to list numerous other places where smoking will not be allowed.  Of course these are places already covered by the Nevada Clean Air Regulations, and are not the object of this ordinance.

Now that you get the gist of the ordinance, lets look at who will be affected financially.  The actual numbers are, of course, unknown at this time, but you can be assured there will be losses.  With losses of business income come losses of jobs.  Mesquite Gaming’s two hotel casinos, Eureka Hotel and Casino, Golden West, Stateline Casino, two Dotty’s, the two smoke shops, and list goes on will be affected.

Under Nevada Revised Statutes, the ordinance is probably not legal, but I’m sure the decision will be made either in the courts or the legislature.  I know I have read all the statutes very carefully.  I do not believe it will allow the city, even if it wanted to approve this ordinance.  I know I am not in support of it and what it could do to the economy of our city.  I urge all of you to read the ordinance in full before you make any decision as a voter.  Next it will be an attempt at prohibition because alcohol can harm you also.

I’m sure this article will raise the hairs on the backs of the necks of the Citizens For Clean Air in Mesquite, and it should.  What started out as a proposal to eliminate smoking in the Casinos and its employees has turned out to be an infringement on personal freedom that goes far past its original intentions.  I do not need their protection.