Tribal Casinos still allow smoking in their casinos. Employees and customers are subjected to the dangers of second hand smoke. Is it time for CA legislators to protect the health and welfare of tribal casino employees? They practically have eliminated smoking OUTDOORS in many cities, yet casinos are exempt.
A recent survey in New England resulted in evidence that people would prefer to gamble in a smoke free environment:
In a random-sample poll of nearly 4,000 residents of the region's six states, half of those who participated in some form of gambling in the past year say they are more likely to visit a casino where smoking is prohibited on the gaming floor. Only 15 percent say they would be less likely to visit a casino where smoking is banned, while 35 percent say it doesn't matter.
Among respondents who had actually visited a casino in the past year, 53 percent said they are more likely to visit a casino that bans smoking. Among women, who constitute a majority of slot-machine players at New England casinos, 57 percent prefer a smoke-free gaming floor, the survey found.
The evidence is piling up on customer preferences. Yet the health of customers and employees seems to matter to tribes.
What do you think? Time to end smoking in tribal casinos?
21 comments:
Definitely time to call and end to the smoking in the casino - as much as people will complain at the start, they will appreciate it in the end!
NO! If you don't like smoke just don't go to the Casino! Tobacco is a big part of our Native American culture, it was used for offerings, medicine, and ceremonies. Don't crush our history and don't fall prey to the PC BS and dispell a very important part of our traditions. You make ppl wonder if you really are ndns and if you really want to perserve the culture or if your just a per-capita wanna be with a hand out and a promise to bring Native Americans down at any cost if you don't get your way! Relax your losing ground again.
What a dumb statement....its not PC to know that smoking in such huge volumes and concentrations as in the Casino is a hazard to your health...peyote and mescaline were also used in Tribal culture, should everyone be allowed to use them while they gamble also?...smoking is banned in California in workplaces.The tribe uses the excuse that they cant serve free alcohol in the Casino because California won't let them...so why the smoke?...California doesn't allow that either!!...and does the tribe pay the tax they charge on the $6 buck a pack cigs to the franchise tax board?..or pocket it?
What part of traditions are being done by Asian gamblers who hold their cigarettes in front of you and don't care where the smoke goes?
Is anyone saying take tobacco away from tribal ceremonies?
In fact, there is NO SMOKING in the Tribal Government Center. Now WHY is THAT?
@Anonymous Above
....people are not allowed to smoke within Tribal Government buildings due to little things called "smoke detectors". Wow, you guys are really grasping at straws to try to make a point. There is a point, right? I'm assuming some of you took a break from this arguement to consult the thesaurus.
YOUR HISTORY anonymous, has now been tainted by the stain of disenrollment, moratorium and banishment.
That is NOT part of Pechanga history. Nor is mistreatment of your elders, by adopted people.
Personally I don’t smoke indoors where others are or even my own home. It is up to the individual to choose for themselves whether they expose themselves to such an environment, so who really cares don’t’ like smoke don’t go. I have been in several rooms that have smoke detectors in them, in fact, there were several people smoking in the same room at the same time and guess what the dame thing never went off not even a little beep imagine that, so what is the real reason why the government center does not allow smoking. Tell people to go to Pala they have a no smoking section that is separate from the smoking with the same games there is no smoke there no problem. That’s a weak argument that there are smoke detectors.
The "PC" of smoking is what it is, I personally somke on the balcony of my house rather than inside--MY CHOICE! I go to bars where I can smoke rather than not because it's my CHOICE! Tobacco is extremely bad for your health but it is embedded in Tribal Traditions whether your disenrolled or not, it is what it is and it will forever be a part of our history! What is sorry is that the disenrollees have taken their cause - good or bad, whichever side of the fence ur on and are trying to strong arm other Tribes into supporting them by breaking them with their stupid subtle threats...like that charachter in WI is doing to the unions. Bottom line is fight your fight but not at the expense of Tribal Sovereignty and other Tribes! You leave those of us from other NDN reservations to vacate your cause because you don't care about the Native Americans as a whole, you appear to take the stance of getting your way by any means necessary an if it means hurting and bringing down all Tribes although they are not even affiliated with Pechange, so be it and a big fat Oh WELL!! You've lost ground and will fade out if you keep on trying to hurt the Nations!!
Negative consequences are the fruits of human rights crimes against hapless Indians suffering injustices.
It is your callus deaf, dumb, and blind disregard of what is happening that is causing backlash.
Vacate? It is the continuing effect of shameful disregard of crimes against humanity that is occuring in Indian Country.
Corruption in Indian Country is now systemic; institutional.
Sovereignty aka effing cruel joke to victims of criminal abuse.
Personally I think the whole smoking issue should be dropped. If someone doesn't like having smoke blown in there face, then don't go. Although I do realize that employees have little or no choice in the matter other than just quitting there respected jobs. I myself do not smoke more than 2-3 times a year (making it more of a special event for myself), but find no offense in others smoking near myself.
I AGREE, DROP IT. THE CASINOS' HAVE NO SMOKING AREAS.
A no smoking area in a casino? That's like having a NO PEE area in a swimming pool.
For the health and safety of casino workers, they should BAN all smoking indoors at Pechanga, including the hotel
" That's like having a NO PEE area in a swimming pool.
Made me laugh, I do like the analogy.
The state should have the compacts coming up include no smoking indoors.
Pechanga and other tribes are basically saying: "we don't care about your health".
Anyone who wants smoking banned from casinos should just move to china with the rest of the communist bastards, just let the government say what you can and can't do. Give the government a reason to write tickets and take our money away. You are making "The Man" proud.
I would love to make "The Man" proud. He is looking down on you right now and sad how addicted you are to such a destructive drug.
Let us stop talking about it and do something! I would be happy to help any organization out there to try to get this on a California ballot. And from the sounds of most of you... you would too!
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Let's ban together and defeat this KILLER! Someone in the government must want to do something about this. Anyone have any valid ideas?
if you want to smoke and want to die with PAIN just do it on your own air AND NOT WITH OTHERS POLLUTING THEIR AIR DIE WITH PAIN BY YOURSELF...PERIOD
We need to get with today's issues and ban all smoking inside any casino. All smoking should be done outside and not interfere with other people's health. That's the right thing to do. Making the casino's non-smoking will not effect the amount of people coming to gamble. They will all still come in to gamble. Just go outside when you want to light up. It's done in upstate NY and it can be done in California too.
It's time to stand up for our health.
Boy that one person saying it's a native american part of history to smoke. Let me tell you something.... It's 2014, we have medical science to prove how detrimental smoking is to the body. This is still a business and I guarantee you smoking gamblers will still be gamblers. Non smoking gamblers most likely won't be spending money in those smoked filled gas chambers.
Don't try and peddle your "part of tribal culture" BS! I just walked out of a casino with my pregnant wife due to worry. The place had ZERO tribal elements, I deduced it was a native establishment b/c they allowed smoking inside.
We looked at the tiny "smoke free" room it had no tables we wanted to play blackjack... they had like 7 banks of machines. We gamble for the social aspect. If we wanted to play video games we'd dnload an app.
They want to keep smoking indoors allowed for ONE reason. Disallowing it would instill breaks in the activity of gambling - which would give people a chance to think about what they are doing, and stop.
Same reason casinos have no clocks, nor windows, and are pumped with extra oxygen... to keep people's butts firmly planted, dumping thier money out.
Not to mention they want to cator to people with addictive personalities. Nevermind the research that they would pull a wider likely wealthier population sans-smoke filled room.
It has as much to do with tribal customs as an electronic wheel of fortune game.
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