Smoking Documentary: Thank You For Not Smoking

Smoking Documentary: Thank You For Not Smoking

In this smoking documentary, we travel to Las Vegas. Home of neon lights and Elvis impersonators. Interviewing casino workers and Vegas residents to find out how second-hand smoke has affected them.  

When you first enter a casino floor, the senses are overwhelmed with the sounds of slot machines, bright lights, and the odor of cigarette smoke. It is a part of the air and it is hard to escape. When you sit down to play a hand of blackjack, a waitress comes around and asks you what you’d like to drink and if you’d like to buy a pack of smokes. It is just as much a part of the Vegas culture as the show girls, neon signs, and over the top shows.

Second-hand smoke in casinos

Second-hand smoke is not just an issue that can be snuffed out or overlooked. Every day thousands of tourists and casino employees are exposed to toxic second-hand smoke.  Yet there is a trend going on nationwide that is bringing the smoking numbers down to new lows, and that is E-liquid and electronic cigarettes. How is that affecting casino floors?

A study done by the University of Reno shows that the smoking rate inside casinos and other gambling establishments mirrors the national average of the country. For example, in 2016, the national average number of smokers was 15%, which is down from 2005 when the national average was 20%.

It is not a stretch to say that the rise in popularity of E-cigarettes had an impact on the decline of smoking rates, as it has fast become a popular alternative for people attempting to quit smoking cigarettes.

But what does this mean for the bystanders who neither smoke or vape?

Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act

Enter the Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act. A call to protect children and adults from the dangers of second-hand smoke. 

Initially passed by the state of Nevada to protect its residents and tourists, the act hoped to guard against the dangerous chemicals found in cigarette second hand smoke, the more than 4,000 substances emitted during cigarette combustion. Yet, in the act, the aerosol emitted from vaping and e-cigarette devices was also addressed. 

What are your thoughts on people being allowed to smoke indoors in Las Vegas? Has the smoking in Las Vegas prevented you from going into the casinos?