Ask Access Vegas

Our extensive coverage of the changes to Nevada’s smoking ban brought in quite a bit of email. For the uninitiated, Nevada voters voted (by a 54% margin, just over half) in 2006 to ban smoking indoors basically everywhere except casinos, cigar stores, and stand-alone bars which did not serve food. Many bar/grill operations which served food simply closed their kitchen (laying off the kitchen staff) and continued to allow smoking. Some built elaborate separate smoke-free restaurants. Some went out of business.

At the end of the day, there wasn’t any less smoking going on. People continued to light up in bars. They simply now couldn’t order some food to soak up their alcohol with. In June, 2011 the Nevada legislature amended (and the governor signed) a change that would allow bars who limit access to patrons 21 years of age the legal ability to serve food to their already drinking/smoking customers.

This was the biggest rescission to any U.S. smoking ban so far and has ignited (no pun intended) a new debate. The push to make Nevada smoke-free (including casinos) is on strong again, including funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (Your tax dollars from everywhere in the U.S. at work to change Nevada smoking laws). The casinos have been mum on the issue, but will most likely get very active if a stringent smoking ban is placed on the ballot again.

What follows are a sampling of email regarding this issue, my responses, and your chance to add your two cents at the bottom:

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The riverboat casino in Peoria Illinois & possibly some others are smoke free. Illinois passed a strict no smoking law some years back. It’s so wonderful to go there since I have a breathing problem & end up being sick & even hospitalized after being in smoking. We have casinos within 1/2 hr to 3 hrs here in our state but I’d rather not go as often & drive the 4 hrs to enjoy myself & stay well in a non smoking casino or riverboat. They do allow smoking on the decks outside so I can avoid that!

So often the non smoking areas (for those with lung problems) are so small, don’t pay as well & seems you walk thru smoking to get there or use the restrooms. I would go more & stay longer if they had at least a decent non smoking area!

BTW, I don’t care if people smoke… I don’t, never did. I just know for my health I have to avoid it. Sometimes that means leaving a place, not walking in a door where a group are gathered to smoke “outside” or just not going to do things I would love to do. Just wanted to mention this since Peoria bit the bullet quite a few years back & are still in business! (Maybe more people would come to places & spend more money if they didn’t have smoking!)

J. Wascottie

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Maybe you could contact the “Muckleshoot” Indian casino in Auburn, Washington (between Seattle and Tacoma). They have basically 2 large casinos in the same building. Separated by a wall, and sliding doors. It would be interesting to know what the visitation rate to both are. I know I prefer the non-smoking one, and have won on 2 of my 3 visits. I have won on 1-2 visits to Tulalip, and prefer the Auborn location.

Gambling for me is just fun though, so I only take $100 or so in with me. A win is walking out with $150, a loss is $50, both include a beer or two, maybe a sandwich. It is a fun 2 hours with friends that I visit.

Marcus from Anchorage, Ak

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My wife and I were second hand smokers for many years (yes, we do live in a nanny State that banned smoking) and we were often sick after going out for supper and drinking. I always thought I was hung-over from drinking too much and the smoking stench was just insult added to injury. After a while, we debated going out based entirely on whether we wanted to deal with the stink, gradually we just stopped going out. When the ban took effect I realized a majority of the ill effects were from the hours spent in smoke filled bars. I believe that generations of non-smokers have adjusted their lifestyles to avoid smoke stench, eliminating patronage of smoke filled bars and restaurants in the process.

Smokers are addicted to the filthy habit (look on the ground anywhere on the Strip), they live it 24 hours a day and it is something that has been part of society forever, so it is difficult to comprehend the idea of smoke-free. It is especially difficult for smokers to understand, because once a smoker, always a smoker.

For the first 35 years of my life I was sick roughly 6 times a year with colds and sinus infections. When my “nanny” State banned smoking I went a year without getting sick, then we made our first trip to Vegas and I was sick within a few days of returning home. Fact is, smoking is bad and it is shared with everyone whether they like it or not. Ted, the way you write on the subject, I would be willing to bet a 12 pack that you are a smoker or have smoked in the past. You and the rest of the smokers of the World will fight to the last breath, no pun intended, to defend what you think is your “right” to light.

The problem is the unique problem of smoking itself, combine that with the wonderful unique culture of Vegas and you have a complex problem to deal with but I do hope a balance can be found to make all guests feel comfortable. When we visit, we find a lot of places we enjoy and are comfortable, when the smoke is bad… we leave. Since smokers have zero respect for non-smokers and make no effort to be non-offensive, the government will legislate it…sooner or later regardless of our political bent.

If people are in harms way the Government will legislate intervention, it has been done in the coal mines, offices and on the highways. The bottom line is always money. There aren’t many bars and restaurants that can take on “healthcare” and lawyers, but Vegas may be able to resist assimilation longer than others. As I said, I do hope Vegas can find that balance so all guests can enjoy the city.

I really enjoy your newsletter, you guys do a great job. Hope you enjoy a great summer.

Steve M.

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I am a smoker and we all know people who smoke always do so while gambling. That’s why I don’t particularly like Atlantic City – very small smoking areas with limited machine choices. That’s one reason I go to Las Vegas every summer from North Carolina. I could go to Atlantic City for free, but choose to go to Vegas. In Atlantic City, too, in some of Harrah’s properties, unless you have a Diamond card, you are not able to enjoy a free imported beer. Interesting!

I won’t go back.

Caroline

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J. Wascottie: According to research and published reports I studied, Illinois casino revenue dropped 20-30% (number depends on the source) after the smoking ban as patrons went to neighboring states. So while I understand enjoying a smoke-free environment, the non-smokers obviously were not gambling enough to make up for the smokers that went elsewhere. Smokers are simply bigger gamblers. Casinos (and Nevada taverns) are in the gambling business.

Marcus: Casinos such as you mentioned usually cater to people in that specific area, not the wide audience that Las Vegas caters to. 23 states do not have comprehensive indoor smoking bans, While Washingtonians may be perfectly used to smoke-free venues, someone from Texas won’t be. So we might be talking apples and oranges. However, one casino in Biloxi has just gone smoke-free and another in Atlantic City is thinking about it. If neither sees a revenue loss, Las Vegas will take a look. However, Atlantic City’s smoking laws were recently scaled back specifically because loss of revenue.

Steve: Per your claim that I’m a smoker or ex-smoker, I’ve never been a cigarette smoker. I’ve been known to enjoy a premium cigar in cigar-friendly surroundings. Since many don’t understand the difference (and it is a vast one) and would lump me in with cigarette smokers, let me explain:

Premium cigars are a natural (no chemicals added a la cigarettes), artisan  product similar to wine grown and blended for their woodsy aroma. Cigar tobacco and cigarette tabacco are pretty much two entirely different plants, and are grown for completely different purposes. In fact, the pure cigar tobacco leaves are generally aged 2 (or more) years to allow the nicotine to dissipate. Cigar smokers don’t want a nicotine buzz.

Premium cigars are NOT to be inhaled nor addictive. (I’ve never seen someone run off an airplane to light up a cigar)! No comparison. In fact, most cigar aficionados that I know (including myself) absolutely dislike cigarette smoke. Let me restate that: I don’t like the smell of cigarette smoke. In fact, I don’t even like the smell of drugstore cigars (many of which are manufactured similar to cigarettes, and smoke and smell more like cigarettes).

Per people altering their lifestyles to avoid smoking venues, that certainly wasn’t the case here in Nevada. Bar and Grill patronage suffered greatly which is why the Tavern Owners Association fought so hard to overturn the ban (and why similar other groups around the country are working to overturn their bans). One of the anti-smoking myths is that more people will flock to smoke-free venues. If that were true, why are the bar owners working so hard to reinstate smoking in bars? If anti-smoking laws actually helped bring in more customers, venues would have gone non-smoking without legal intervention.

I absolutely understand that smoke makes you feel unwell. I have food allergies and some specific foods make me feel unwell. Do I vote for a ban on the foods? Not at all. I simply must avoid them even though I wish I didn’t have to. Just as you can avoid venues that permit smoking. At least in Nevada, smoking continues to be outlawed in just about every public space sans casinos and bars. And guess what? I don’t have a problem with smoke-free DMV, grocery stores, daycare centers, etc! Those with health issues absolutely are protected in the quest for the necessities of daily living.

But what about all the evils of second-hand smoke? Aren’t smokers killing us all? Let me suggest reading The Myth of Second Hand Smoke by Terry Simson, MD. Very eye-opening.

Caroline: You summed up the reason why Las Vegas casinos continue to permit smoking. Until we see at least one casinos in a major gaming destination go smoke-free with no hit to revenue,we’re simply not going to see smoke-free casinos or taverns in Nevada.

While not a smoking topic, some Las Vegas casinos are looking to experiment with gamblers paying a premium price for premium drinks. Their rationale? People are still gambling $1 a pull at the slots just like they were $20 years ago, but inflation has increased the price of liquor. Be interesting to see how much of a backlash there is, and we’ll delve more into it another time.

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OK, it is your turn. You can see that we have a side range of opinions on this issue. As long as you keep it reasonably polite, we’ll moderate and publish every response in the comment box below no matter where you stand on this issue:

Ted Newkirk
CEO/Managing Editor
AccessVegas.com

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