I think that Casinos should use this virus as a reason to go smoke-free when they reopen for several reasons. First, secondhand and thirdhand smoke is not safe according to the CDC and causes cancer and other diseases, even in non-smokers. Another is that smoking makes COVID-19 worse, as it is a respiratory virus which causes breathing problems and damages lungs on its own. Plus, with many people wearing masks in public during the early stages of the pandemic, smoking would require taking off the mask, possibly spreading the virus further inside the casino. Next,smoking is a health hazard for patrons and workers. And according to a study from University of Nevada Reno, it showed that the gambling population did not have a higher concentration of smokers and the majority of gamblers in the casinos are actually non-smokers.
Plus, with so many hotels going 100% smoke-free as a norm across the nation,it is time to bring the casinos in Nevada in line with this trend. Many casinos across the nation have gone smoke-free and have been very successful including Commerce Casino, MGM National Harbor, Maryland Live, Harrahs New Orleans, Palace Biloxi, and others. As the result, it is time to bring las vegas in line with the modern smoke-free trend and use this pandemic as a opportunity to bring back a cleaner and healthier Las Vegas. Heck, even sin city can get a future reputation for being fun, clean, and a great vacation destination.
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