Moving against the trend in the rest of the US Nevada may be loosing its smoking ban despite voters deciding the ban should be put into place a few years ago. This could make the state the first in the US to ease restrictions previously put into place to reduce cigarette use in public.
Only last Friday the Nevada Senate approved a bill to allow smoking in taverns or saloons that serve food in the state only if under 21s weren’t allowed into the premises. The retraction was put into place after owners said that they had lost as much as a quarter of their business as a direct result. Their profits were also diminished by smokers who enjoyed playing video poker slot machines moving to casinos to gamble where the ban was not put into place.
Geno Hill, the Nevada Tavern Owners Association President said, “Our member’s gaming revenues are off 20 to 30 percent since the ban, and that’s before the recession.”
Other cities including Champaign and Urbana, Illinois, and Friendship Height, Maryland have all repealed smoking bans. The City Council in Atlantic City also voted to add a smoking ban in casinos, however it was suspended after a year when businesses had reported a 10 to 20 percent drop in business. New Jersey Legislature is now considering banning smoking in casinos as part of state law.
However supporters of the ban believe that the business lost immediately after smoking bans are put into place is only temporary as people will become used to the prohibitions over time.
Danielle Almond |
