An open letter to state lawmakers and gaming commissions urging the end of indoor smoking in casinos has renewed the debate over the effectiveness of air filtration systems inside casinos.
On Thursday (19 September), Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights (ANR), a national anti-smoking advocacy group that has for years fought state exemptions for casinos included in indoor smoking bans, released an open letter. Addressed to state lawmakers and regulators, the letter urges them to confront indoor smoking as a responsible-gaming issue.
“Allowing smoking on gaming floors not only poses significant health risks to workers and patrons alike, but it also encourages prolonged gambling sessions without breaks—a fundamental tenet of responsible play,” ANR wrote in the open letter to states.
The anti-smoking group also pointed to a statement from the US National Council on Problem Gambling.
“Making casinos smoke-free is likely to reduce the incidence of problem gambling and improve public health,” the NCPG wrote.
Titus: Las Vegas has made big strides
The issue was also addressed during a Thursday Washington, DC event by the news platform Semafor. Nevada US Representative Dina Titus was asked to address complaints from public health groups concerning smoking inside casinos.
“This is something that the state legislature has looked at off and on, and again, you find the industry regulating itself,” Titus said. “If you go practically anywhere on the Strip with all the new casinos, they have the very latest technology. It’s not the low-ceiling, old-time places that are so smoky that you find a few left downtown, but they’ve done a pretty good job.
“Even some of the slot machine banks have filters on the side that suck out the bad air, so I would challenge you to go in places like that and find that it will be a very smoky atmosphere.”
Anti-smoking group says smoking ban is best answer
ANR was quick to issue a statement Friday (20 September) refuting Titus’ argument.
“The engineers who design ventilation systems have repeatedly told casinos to stop claiming that they protect workers and guests from dangerous secondhand smoke,” wrote ANR president and CEO Cynthia Hallett. “These systems remove odor, not carcinogens and other harmful chemicals. The only way to guarantee that customers and workers are breathing clean air is to eliminate indoor smoking from casinos, full stop.”
She also pointed to a statement from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers.
“There is no currently available or reasonably anticipated ventilation or air-cleaning system that can adequately control or significantly reduce the health risks of [environmental tobacco smoke] to an acceptable level,” the group argues.
Hallett added that Nevada residents support ending indoor smoking in casinos. She pointed to a poll earlier this year by Normington Petts that showed nearly 60% of Nevada voters support making all workplaces, including casinos, smoke-free.
