Question of the Day - 29 July 2020

This is a good time to institute a complete smoking ban. Even not considering the health issues, lighting up your stink-stick befouls the air all around you and makes the people near you nauseous. A smoker ruins the experience of those around him/her. Why allow it at all? It's a piggy, disgusting, selfish, thoughtless habit.

But I'm sure we'll hear about everyone's "FREEDUMB!" in the comments.

That's all that smokers are is drug addicts addicted to nicotine. If you want to smoke so badly in a casino, get the nicotine patch instead.  No, wait, the nicotine gum would be better, every time you get the urge to do your drug in public grab a piece of gum instead.  I knew a person who got emphysema and Doctor ordered to quite smoking but instead developed a $600/month gum habit. You couldn't vape due to the massive cloud of droplets exhaled and since smoking can de considered an assault with a deadly weapon you just might get shot for smoking as an act of self defense.

If 85 percent of Americans are not smokers, make casinos 85 percent smoke free.

GVR and RR  (and others?) have non-smoking sections in their casinos. This is not a perfect solution but it is MUCH better for non-smokers. You may wish to include this option in your poll.

Here in Tulsa Oklahoma we have three major Casinos. Unfortunately only one is taking the Virus seriously and that is the Hard Rock Casino, its totally non-smoking. Hard Rock has implemented strict measures Temperature checks and a wrist ban in the street entrance, Once inside Face Masks are required with Plastic shields separating the machines. All Employees wearing face masks, sports bar shut down and no music venues operating. Employees reminding patrons to keep their masks on at all time. River Spirit has a temperature check in place as you enter and face masks available but once inside smoking is allowed and no one cares if your face mask is on. The last Casino is Osage with no entrance checking and smoking allowed. It seems that Osage has the most business and Hard Rock is very quiet. I wish they would all go non-smoking but money rules.

I have heard it say that a non-smoking section in a casino is akin to a non-peeing section of a pool. Throw in all the filters you want.... and I won't digress from there.

Ban smoking completely everywhere. Drug addicts should be treated, not be catered to.

I would switch the smoking and non-smoking areas of the casinos, making the large area non-smoking. If necessary, add a small smoking area of the casino.

I don't get it.  Smoking kills more people and caused more body damage and disease than almost any other single thing.  They want to ban firearms because the guns kill people.  The virus is killing less people than all of that, but we need to wear masks and take other precautions, and the virus death rate is way less than the death smoking causes.  Why are they not fighting to outlaw smoking?  There should be none.  Including in a casino.  The message, power and politics is more important to the people we vote into office than our welfare.  If big money needs the smokers, then there will be smoking in casinos.  Instead of a small no smoking section, there should be a miniscule smoking section.  And just to make it harder, they should make that part of the casino more profitable. You cannot win in that section.
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My wife and I both grew up in a smoking enviroments as both parents were heavy smokers as was one older sister.  Dad died as age 49 and mom 74 and sister about the same age.  

Smokers should be separated with separate entrances to their area, and separate air conditioning systems.  If someone wants to smoke they can use the smokers entrance and play the games / machines in that area.  Problem solved.  Simple solution--probably not but If I lived in Oklahoma I would use the Hard Rock that Rocky mentions.  Just my 2 cents worth from an retired old man with too much time on his hands.  AND I do miss the casinos.  The wife and I have had to cancel 6 trips this year.  Not happy campers.

I am a non-smoker and have been all of my life.  I don't have a problem with people smoking.  It is part of the casino mystic.  From the sounds of the other comments, you'll be coming after alcohol next.  BTW, gambling is an addiction, maybe ya'll should be treated and not catered too.

As a non-smoker, I'm fine with smoking sections as long as casinos are smart about it. For large casinos, rooms can be partitioned with doors to keep the smoke contained and increase ventilation.  For small casinos, maybe put slot machines outside under a canopy.

Smoking, including vaping, should be banned permanently from casino and other public areas...BUT the casino should set up separate, well "secluded" areas for those who have to get their nicotine fix. This is NOT the same as having a designated gaming area that is set aside for smokers. 

Anyone has the right to smoke, but they shouldn't infringe on the rights of others not to have to inhale second hand smoke.   If the casino has one or more isolated areas ventilated to the outside, then I say go for it.  The person who goes in these areas to smoke exercises free will, as do other people who avoid these areas. While it might be an inconvenience for smokers who are "on a roll",  it would be better for them than a total ban.

Is this a reasonable compromise?  

If you get this kind of nasty comments just for the PREVIEW, wait until next week when you have the actual poll. I think it can be limited to 3 choices, yes permanently, yes temporarily, or no. The only real reasonable comment is Alan's. Ban smoking, ban drinking, ban gambling. Maybe ban going out in the sun, because, you know, skin cancer. And since there is so much sun in Vegas, I guess you gotta ban Las Vegas.

As codified in law, the health of the public actually does outweigh certain individual rights in an epidemic or pandemic.  This generation has not experienced a pandemic of such a virulent contagion, thus the howling about "my right" to not wear a mask, etc.  Smoking has (finally) been recognized as a public health danger to the smoker and those around him. Limitations are already in place, e.g. inside public buildings, airplanes, etc.  

WITH THIS IN MIND, I suggest eliminating the "rights" question from the options.  Smokers already believe that anyway.  It doesn't add anything to the question.

Casinos that have non-smoking sections have really small sections where they put their older games prior to retirement.  Then the casinos can say but see nobody plays in our non-smoking section.  In Maryland, casinos are non-smoking but they can have smoking patios which are outside but undercover where they have about a dozen machines.  It works.

With the COVID being passed by air it seems silly that people are allowed to blow smoke (most of it their own breath).  

A casino is for adults.  Adults make good and bad decisions depending on one's point of view.   Drinking, smoking (or not), gambling, and generally having fun winning or losing is just part of the casino experience.  If the government just can't stand it, maybe smoking should be banned in the casino between 4:30am and 7:30am to give them something to regulate.

As a life long non-smoker and frequent casino patron, I would love to see them switch the script and make 90% of the casino smoke-free and 10% for smokers (A smoking casino area, much like the smoke free spots we see now).  

I used to go to Winstar, now a casino but I went when it was just Bingo, including the slot machines.  At first it was just a small glassed off room for non smokers for the dauber games and as time went by, the small glassed off room was for smokers.  Then Winstar became a full blown casino and the small glassed off room became for non smokers again. I haven't been to Winstar since that happened so the small room may be back to smokers again.

There is some absurdity to proposing a "temporary" ban on smoking in casinos.  Again, the action has already been taken regarding airplanes, restaurants, hotel rooms, concerts, public buildings, etc.  "Temporary" is a non-starter for casino management.  What would their signs say? "No smoking. But soon you can smoke again when the virus goes away"??  

WITH THAT IN MIND I suggest eliminating the "temporary" options and add ""I Will patronize" and "I WILL NOT patronize" casinos that ban smoking."  Perhaps that is the intent of the "...shouldn't be taken away from smokers" option, but that is rather weak way of getting there.  JMHO.
 

It is illegal in every State to commit suicide.  Even life insurance policies will not pay off on a suicide death.  Yet every smoker out there is committing suicide and no government will stop them.  How's that for "RIGHTS"?

Doesn't the first option capture the essence?  If so, this poll could be just two questions:

"I believe smoking should be banned in casinos."
"I do not believe smoking should be banned in casinos."

Or perhaps the poll is seeking more on general attitudes toward smoking in general.  

the only reason smoking is allowed in some casinos is because the tobacco industry has been influencing the law on this for decades... successfully getting lawmakers and the casino industry to plead economic hardship when the data doesn't support that. there has never been a legitimate peer reviewed study (not traced back to Big Tobacco or its shadow groups) that has ever proved a permanent downturn in revenue due to smoking restrictions. peel away the layers of the onion and you always find that it's the tobacco industry that has funded or sponsored the survey or manipulated the data. every time. 

nor has there ever been any data shared by the casino industry that suggests that smokers visit more often, play bigger or lose more. if they had that data, don't you think they would have shared it years ago and ended this debate?

casinos are workplaces (as well as adult playgrounds). if casinos cared about their employees and their customers, smoking would have been banned years ago.

As a long time smoker (50 yrs  cough, cough) I do not see any problems with casinos banning smoking on the casino floors. However if they do so then they will have to add "designated smoking areas" because you are not going to stop people from "lighting up" when the urge hits them. I go to MGM National Harbor in MD where it is 100% no smoking and that is fine. They have areas outside where you smoke. All is good....My pet peeve with this Covid issue is NV has stopped you having a drink at the VP bars...When they allow that I'll be back in Vegas...Keep safe people.

The right to freely swing my arms ends at the tip of the nose of the person in front of me. The right to smoke ends at the tip of my nose. it is a lot easier to control my arms than it is smoke. Smokers have the right to smoke. 100% agree. But their right to smoke ends at the tip of my nose - something they both fail to realize or care about. And for some reason smokers think the ground is an ashtray. Flicking ashes on the ground is no big deal to them. They will say "It's just ashes" - and they are right. But EVERYONE doing it adds up. And for some reason smokers think it is OK to stamp out your cigarette on the ground - AND LEAVE IT THERE! I was in Hawaii once. I went to take a picture. I stepped over some 2-foot wall to do so. Once I did I saw what was easily 300+ cigarette butts on the other side. I choose not to smoke. If I wanted to do so I would. I don't. Please keep your cancer sticks away from me. If that means you won't go to a casino - GOOD! STAY AWAY!

There have been some good points made on both sides of the argument, nearly all in favour of a smoking ban. The only salient point against a smoking ban seems to be smokers' 'rights' to poison themselves (not to mention those around them) and they seem to ignore the rights of non-smokers to breathe unpolluted air indoors. As a lifelong non-smoker and a doctor for more than forty-five years, I'm staunchly anti-smoking, but agree that people do have the right to damage their own health if they wish. As a regular visitor to LV from the UK, I think McCarran Airport have got it right with the entire building being non-smoking with the exception of a small area for smokers (with slots) inside the terminals. Why can't the casinos do something similar?

I second your motion on this topic and on the floor. Bottom line!!

How about something along the lines of I have stopped or greatly reduced my Vegas trips because of smoking in casinos? Personally, I have local casinos that are 100% non-smoking, and as someone with various allergies that already are a seasonal challenge, I have no interest or tolerance for hours in smoky Vegas casinos. I've only been back for work conferences and a friends 40th birthday in the past 5 years. Of course my local casinos also still have 3/2 blackjack, give me various free/cheap meal coupons, have free parking, and no resort fees...so I likely wouldn't be Vegasing nearly like I used to, even with no smoking.

These options seem a little too binary.  What about a compromise like they have at McCarren?  Glass in sections of the casino for smokers.  Limited table play if any

I am a non smoker but I understand someone who spends hours in a casino for entertainment would like to smoke. I always have to bring a wrap or sweater with me as most areas in some casinos are ventilated poorly and very cold. Some casinos do not have blocked off sections for the smokers and non smokers so the air system is not helping either. I have been in very small non smoking rooms where the machines are old, no wait staff (water please) or anyone from the casino checking in as they sometimes do on the main floor. Outside areas must not be pleasant for anyone in winter in the Midwest. Would really like to see a survey at a casino as to who wants to smoke and who does not and  proportion the casino spaces to accommodate both group. 

That's why I love Vegas.  I can indulge myself in everything I enjoy doing, guilt free. I even like helping Arnold Snyder in his endeavors occasionally. I haven't tried weed yet, but at 71 years old who knows. If my favorite joint bans smoking, I'll find another one. There is a way to accommodate both groups and keep everyone happy. 

I understand the movement in that direction and if implemented, I would oblige and move outside.   

But I do not support a ban.  Smoking while gambling is one of those things I go to Vegas for.   And no, I am not a drug addict.  LOL!  

I agree with the comments that this is already established as an "adults" environment so precedence has been set.

Smoking is a health hazard.  If it just affected the smoker fine but when they smoke it polluted the air which affects everyone.  Times r changing.  Let’s get rid of the cancer sticks. 

How many people have smokers/vapors infected with covid-19? A person that drinks can leave their mask in place and move it up to take a swig and put back down while swallowing. That doesn't put the virus, if they're infected, into the air. Smokers/Vapors, on the other hand, can put the virus out 27 feet when exhaling. Smokers/Vapors never leave their masks on while partaking of their addiction. I don't believe that Las Vegas will ever get a handle on the virus as long as there is smoking/vaping inside the casinos. Since the virus got me staying away from the casinos, I now choose to stay away due to the smoking/vaping. Unlike me, the nonsmoking casino employees have no choice if they want their jobs. It has long been proven that second and third hand smoke can be injurious to people's long term health, and, even lethal. I wonder how long it would take for casinos to do the right thing if all nonsmokers stayed away.

Even though I don't smoke, There is an undeniable link between gamblers and smoking. The covid 19 pandemic is not forever, and shure you must adhere to protocol until it is deemed safe, but a permanent ban, I don't think it's convenient. there could be a more equitable solution, like half and half, or whatever the statistics dictate, on somoking - non smoking guests, but permanent ban?, I don't think so.

I do not smoke, I do not like to gamble in smoking casinos, but I do. I own my own restaurant in Ohio. I went non-smoking before the law passed. I voted to ban smoking in Ohio. One of the biggest regrets I have! After thinking about it, I realized that I voted against the business owners rights to make their own decision, just as I have the right to decide if I want to enter a “smoking allowed” establishment. Let the people (owners) be the decision maker! 

Yes, we all love our freedoms to do whatever we want to.  The difference with smoking is that it negatively affects others around you when you do it.  So, it's not an apples to apples comparison to drinking, gambling, etc., which do not directly impact everyone around them.  So, the freedom argument is self-serving and hypocritical.  And yes, businesses should make the call on it without government intervention.  But they would rather the government do it for them, so they can take political cover and blame someone else for doing the dirty work for them.

NO SMOKING FOR SURE!!!!

Comments here are mostly about laws and on forcing certain behaviors, when casinos can already choose on their own whether to ban smoking on their property or not. Maybe there should be a poll option for those who oppose government telling casinos to ban smoking but who also think casinos should choose to ban it on their own (or to allow it in relatively limited areas) for the health and comfort of their guests and employees.

Separately, some smokers commenting here completely ignore the fact that their smoke is unpleasant to many. It is unhealthy, and it also smells bad and leaves a bad smell on clothing (not to mention hotel rooms, rental cars, etc.). 

The better machines in my experience are always in the smoking section:)

If the casinos had good ventilation, I'm fine with cigarette smokers if they can be considerate. It's their entertainment time too. The cigar smokers is what I'd like banned. 
There's no place to go to get away from it and it lingers a longggg time! 

Why even conduct this poll?  The majority of people no longer smoke, and their votes will nearly all be to go no smoking, with the full range of 'give smokers a place to go' to the snarky self righteous stuff already written.  In fact, most smokers I know would be happy with a decent, handy place to go have a smoke - they aren't looking to make anyone else unhappy, but would like a little consideration as well.  And really, the comfort level of everyone is determined greatly by the casino's willingness to invest in the air handling equipment to clear the air.  You can see the difference from place to place if you pay attention.  But really, I don't think most smokers will be voting - the results are a given, so why bother?

If all LV casinos ko'd smoking, no problem...15% of population are moron smokers and they are allowed to dictate smoking policy...state should ban smoking in casinos for, at least, the health of casino employees.

The comment im not agreeing with is,you say smokers should have the right to smoke WHEREVER and whenever they want,well the WHEREVER part i don't agree with.If people want to smoke then they should have to go to a non smoking area.If your playing at a blackjack table you should have to get up and go to the smoking area to smoke.I smoke cigars and have no problem going to a smoking area to smoke,or don't smoke at all till im done playing

Alan , you sure talk like a smoker . The backwards logic, et. all. 

Pennsylvania has banned all smoking since the mask mandate was put in place.  Not only do I, as an ex-smoker, appreciate it, the staff who are subjected to the smell and smoke are ecstatic. They just love their improved working conditions.  Smoking should be prohibited during the pandemic for certain, and possibly always. A small enclosed room for smokers is preferable...if they must.

Just to clarify, I see cigarettes and cigars are mentioned.  Vaping?  And we're only talkin tobacco products?  I'd much rather smell a cigar than someone vaping a cloud of Ben&Jerrys Berrylisous Heaven at me and reducing my visibility to zero.

>>even though I don't smoke, there is an undeniable link between gamblers and smoking.<<

undeniable? really?

more like a fantasy. 

there is no link.  if there were, they would have shared that data decades ago and ended the debate.

>>whatever the statistics dictate, on smoking - non smoking guests<<

the statistics dictate that 84-85% of casino guests don’t smoke. that statistic mirrors the population at large. the problem with classifying 15% of the casino as a smoking area is that smoke travels. one need only go to atlantic city, where 75% of the casino is non-smoking by law... to see that this doesn’t work. the entire casino smells like smoke, even when the non-smoking section is located on a different floor.

it’s 2020. smokers learned long ago that they can’t light up in public.  not at the movies, not at supermarkets. people routinely get on 16 hour flights to hong kong and don’t smoke. tolerance for smoking in public has dwindled drastically.

I feel the way Pat Higgins and his wife do. I grew up with two heavy smokers and didn't smoke until I went to college and got tired of saying "no thanks" to cigarettes when they were offered, so I bought my own and started smoking. I didn't really like it so I only smoked about 4-5 years and nt very much so I quit and have never smoked since BUT my childhood being around smokers was enough that I now have COPD and when I go to Las Vegas I have to carry an over the shoulder Oxygen Pack. I love Vegas, but going with oxygen is a drag. I would love to have at least 1/2 the casino smoke free REALLY and TRULY smoke free and good machines with the same odds as the rest of them. Too often I've in to the smoke free "area" and they're not really smoke free, the machines are old or higher priced to play, no one offers you a drink - not even water which is my preference or comes by to fix a machine that's malfunctioning. It's like non smokers don't count at all. It seems not as many people smoke n

We come to LV several times a year, but we have cancelled 2 trips this year because of the virus.  How can casinos mandate masks and allow smoking?  How can you smoke with a mask on?  You can't, so smoking essentially continues without regard to the pandemic, and we still aren't coming back. 

This is the perfect opportunity to ban smoking in casinos.  When we come to LV, every morning I get up, take a shower, wash my hair, get dressed, and feel great.  Then, I walk into a casino, and within 5 minutes, I stink, my hair stinks, my clothes stink. If I want to wear a pair of pants more than once, I have to hang them outside on the patio of our resort to air out.

We live in Colorado, and everyone said that the casinos would die without smoking.  They banned smoking inside and provide smoking areas outside the casino for smoking breaks. The casinos have survived just fine. 

Finally, even in the largest casino, a cigar smoker will sit down 
right at the edge of the non-smoking area.

It’s an economic question. Eliminate smoking and I won’t be at the casino. I come to Las Vegas annually with the Cigar Aficionado Big Smoke. It won’t return and neither will I. The non-smokers will surely gamble more...or will they?  A casino in Missouri stopped smoking on their own and lost substantial income. There is a reason that most every smoking ban includes an exemption for casinos, if they can. 

First, I don’t smoke. Second, I lost my wife to lung cancer last year. Third, since smokers are in the minority, they should continue to smoke with impunity.  This seems to be trend in the USA at the moment. Who do the casinos think they are to fight the minority or anyone else for that matter.  

Definition: Cigars. All else is just loose change. Smoke free Casinos with Cigar rooms.

Most poker rooms around the country have banned smoking and it doesn't seem like it has chased too many people away. For the rooms inside bigger casinos that often involves just stepping outside the poker room to smoke, in others they have to step outside.  At least having real non-smoking sections would be nice but I don't think most of the existing casinos were designed to have any real physical barriers for a smoking section.

I would guess that many smokers who are against casinos barring smoking have no problem taking a vacation by flying somewhere and spending 12 or more hours on a plane where you can't smoke.  If they can adjust to that, they can adjust to restricted or no-smoking rules in a casino.  Never smoked but McCarran Arpt and cruise ships do it right by having a dedicated smoking lounge.  If smoking is already banned indoors, why do the casinos think they need to let people smoke inside their particular establishment.  Smokers aren't boycotting all the other no-smoking places.  They've learned to live with them and will do the same if casinos become restricted or non-smoking.  Opening smoking rooms around the casinos would still be a lot better than all the establishments that have absolutely no smoking anywhere on the premises. Of course, even if casinos do the right thing and ban smoking, there still might be the issue of having to walk through a cloud of smoke just to enter the casino.  

I think you hit a nerve, do casino managers read this?

gosh, i don’t think so. they will gamble as they do now. and studies have shown that smokers will gamble as they do now, too. there is always a temporary dip in revenue and then it returns. restaurants and bars also said smoking bans would put them out of business. they didn’t.

nonsmokers may gamble more when you consider that they won’t be exposed to second and third hand smoke, so they may live longer. when you consider the lifetime value of a customer, the best way to ensure more revenue is by extending their lifetime. 

>>there is a reason that almost every smoking ban includes an exemption for casinos...<<

yes, there is. it’s called lobbying by Big Tobacco. these are the same people who invented the cartoon character joe camel to teach your kids to smoke. they are ruthless and will stop at nothing in their campaign to “normalize” smoking. they have spent hundreds of millions of dollars to do this. they are failing almost everywhere with one notable exception: casinos.

So....for years and years, if you wanted maximum participation on an issue, make it about smoking in a casino. You see it here and any it has always been a button issue in any of the forums, not just here but all over the "gambling" industry.  For approx 15% of the population to have control of the other approx 85% boggles the mind. For the most part, right now, almmost everyone is in the same boat when in casions, non smoking. I just returned from a week trip in Atlantic City.  Went up for family, but of course, ended up in the casinos every day we were there, usually 4-6 hours daily and usually late afternoon into evening hours. Non smoking in any of the casinos, well actually no where in the casinos or hotel or shopping areas with the exception of a smoking room if you had one and for folks who were walking on the boardwalk. Guess what.....the tables that were open were fairly full, the machines that were open had good crowds. No one was having to inhale smoke; crowds were lively!

It's amazing how a selfish minority can burden society, whether smokers or antivaxxers or antimaskers. Casinos have dragged their feet on this too long. Most smokers are used to using smoking-break areas already; why haven't casinos designated these outdoor spaces long ago to protect employees and customers? Seems like a no-brainer.

When something is going on that defies logic, such as a smaller number of smoking customers being catered to at the detriment of a larger number of non-smoking customers you can bet that there is a sizable influence from money or the fear of losing it. Many of the old guys running things are still stuck in a 1970's mindset. It takes time, the restaurant industry, retail stores and state regulations took a while to convert to non-smoking but it finally happened and now they realize what a good idea it is. Besides the health issue it lowers operating costs for the business, should be a no-brainer but sometimes we get stuck with old ideas because the bosses are afraid of change. 

I just read where drinking is worse for you than smoking. If they were to ban smoking, they should also ban drinking. Either way, I won't be visiting a casino that bans either one.