[ScoopLV]

Public opinion keeps shifting away from "let people choose." Smokers can choose to free themselves from their addiction. That's the only choice that will be available in the very near future. There is no "right" to smoke any more than there is any right to inject heroin in public. The only real differences between heroin and nicotine are 1) the quality of the high; 2) the strength of the physical addiction; and 3) heroin users are less offensive to non-heroin users than tobacco users are to non-tobacco users. (At least until they can't get a fix and start stealing to feed their addiction.)

Whether you like it or not, or agree with it or not, this is the direction that we are heading. Freedom from smoke trumps freedom to smoke.

[UTES]

Originally Posted by ScoopLV

Freedom from smoke trumps freedom to smoke.

Nailed. It.

Bill

[BBMW]

I tend to agree with you, but there is another issue, the employees. When Bloomberg pushed through the first ban on smoking in bars and restaurants in NYC, the rational was that the exposure to second hand smoke was harming employees of those businesses. If anyone is able to push through a ban in the casinos, it would likely be on that basis. I think getting Culinary to buy into it would be key.

Originally Posted by Raiderman

You mean, that Las Vegas lets adults act like adults? Like it or not, LV is one of the last bastions of letting people decide what they want to do. Whether it's smoking, drinking, carousing... this city lets people choose. If you're a smoker, you can choose to do so in public. If you're a non-smoker, you can choose to frequent the places that cater to those like you. It's all about choices, while we still have them...

[ScoopLV]

I think research is likely correct and that prolonged exposure to smoke (like, say, a flight attendant during the 1970s) could increase the risk of health problems.

But let's say for the sake of debate second-hand smoke is an utter myth. I'm STILL in favor of deferring to the wishes of non smokers. (And I don't find tobacco smoke particularly bad, at least in reasonable amounts. Your fight isn't with me, smokers. Your fight is with my wife. And you cannot win.)

The idea of "letting adults act like adults" is 180-degrees skewed from reality. If the adults are going to act like adults, they would put on the big boy pants and deal with the withdrawal symptoms. It's their addiction, after all. Not the non-smokers' problem. As far as my wife is concerned, smokers have the right to quit smoking. They have no other rights. And she votes with her feet -- she doesn't give patronage to any establishment that smells like an ashtray. There are restaurants we no longer visit because she doesn't like the smell.

Today, right now, there are more people like my wife than there are smokers. Her tribe is growing fast. And the smokers' tribe is fading fast. Soon, their precious casino dollars aren't going to be worth the loss of business to the vehemently-non-smoking tribe.

Smoking will be relegated to designated smoking areas, likely outside or in special rooms like McCarran used to have. It's only a matter of time -- even in Las Vegas.

I fully expect that shortly, several states will outright ban the retail sale of tobacco. The tax revenue isn't worth the smokers' drain on the health system. (That will give Indian reservations a great revenue stream.) I also expect to see a ban at National Parks (for fire prevention). And also I expect to see more retailers stock their shelves with products with better profit potential.

I also expect to see "private smoking clubs" spring up. Where every employee smokes and customers are allowed to smoke all they want. I'm quite surprised that nobody has started up an airline just for smokers. Winston Air -- service from Paris to London to New York to Los Angeles. And service from Beijing to Tokyo to Los Angeles. That would take care of the most popular long-hauls. The entire airline could consist of four planes -- endlessly shuttling smokers over the Atlantic and Pacific. Jack prices through the roof. Smokers will pay it.

[UTES]

Originally Posted by ScoopLV

I also expect to see "private smoking clubs" spring up.

Utah did that for a while during the transition period to total non-smoking indoor regs. Most of the clubs were failing by the time the clock ran out.

Bill

[kimba01]

McCarren put their smoker room back in the main terminal.

I thought they did pass a no smoking law here in establishments where food is served? I certainly don't see that being upheld in the local bars. I think I over heard a staff member saying the owners would rather pay the fine then lose the business.

I could be wrong...that could have been in Michigan.

[airics]

There is a smoking area near the d gates also.

[oeccscclhjhn]

They asked me how I knew
my true love was true
I of course replied
something here inside
cannot be denied



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57tK6aQS_H0

[irishspy]

Here is the Irony of this thread "the government passes smoking bans" Next day news Government wants to legalize smoking of pot to raise tax revenues. SO in one Breath (pun intended) they change their opinion When are people going to wake up and figure out $$$ tax dollars run the show. Now that the Billionaire ex mayor Bloomberg banded soda in 32 oz cups or bigger is everyone in NYC skinny so all of you non smokers who would be lighting up your joints and pipes and bongs and not Smoking that would be a different thing I think not. If people are looking at risk from second hand smoke you have to be exposed to it for a long period of time vs the non smoker who drinks each day and is over the legal limit especially when they are in casinos (free drinks) they get into their automobiles and drive drunk and can kill you in a instant more faster than a cigarettes can or second hand smoke. No lets throw in stoned drivers driving around which helps matters more and then just the crazy drivers and people are worried about second hand smoke Lets move on to China where the air is so polluted they have to wear mask to go outside and it is not from second hand smoke. China is one of the worst air polluters in the world. So lets get rid of them no good smokers from Las Vegas casinos even though at any time 24/7 33% of the drivers on Las Vegas roads are legally drunk,who knows how many are stoned or legally medicated driving impaired and then mix in all of the toxic chemicals we eat in our Healthy foods and on top of that only 60 miles from Las Vegas we have more waste stored than any other place in the USA and just one accident there and we all are going to glow in the dark. I will not even go into what has been done at Area 51 as far as burning waste there. Gee thinking about all of this make me want to have a cigarette to calm my nerves down

[Wolfpacker]

Originally Posted by ScoopLV

I fully expect that shortly, several states will outright ban the retail sale of tobacco. The tax revenue isn't worth the smokers' drain on the health system. (That will give Indian reservations a great revenue stream.) I also expect to see a ban at National Parks (for fire prevention). And also I expect to see more retailers stock their shelves with products with better profit potential.

I also expect to see "private smoking clubs" spring up. Where every employee smokes and customers are allowed to smoke all they want. I'm quite surprised that nobody has started up an airline just for smokers. Winston Air -- service from Paris to London to New York to Los Angeles. And service from Beijing to Tokyo to Los Angeles. That would take care of the most popular long-hauls. The entire airline could consist of four planes -- endlessly shuttling smokers over the Atlantic and Pacific. Jack prices through the roof. Smokers will pay it.

I got a feeling that this would be ruled unconstitutional.