We all know that smoking is a health hazard, and yet, letting consumers smoke in casinos is profitable for the business. While cigarettes are officially banned in many indoor spaces in the United States, casinos are some of the last places to tolerate and allow them. Even clients who are non-smokers appreciate the smoke-filled venues and don’t complain about the nuisance.
This industry hires many employees who work in these smoky casinos. Many don’t have the option of switching jobs and are trapped because they must make a living. Tammy Brady is one such employee who’s worked in a casino in Atlantic City where she was exposed to heavy secondhand smoke. She was diagnosed with breast cancer and recounted her heart-breaking story:
“I was just trying to make a living. You don’t think, you know, that you’re going to get sick at your job.”
Second-hand smoke is the mother of all evils because no matter the quantity, it’s going to make you sick or have long-term repercussions. As far as implementing filtration systems in casinos go, they won’t be 100% effective.
While smoking in casinos is banned in 20 or so states, including Massachusetts and New York, a country-wide ban still needs to be enforced. Atlantic City is one of the last remaining states where this activity within casinos is still not prohibited and no action is being taken to end it. A few casinos in other states made their venues smoke-free zones after the pandemic hit.
Ultimately, it will be the employees themselves who will have to put an end to this horrific trend once and for all. They’re frustrated and beginning to stand up for their rights and health. A 48-year-old employee named Nicole Vitola at an Atlantic City casino recounts how irritated she was when smoking was revived after a hiatus during the pandemic.
While her employers showed great concern for their employees while COVID-19 was making waves, they couldn’t care less when lockdowns were a thing of the past and didn’t bat an eye when workers were struggling to be around smoke.
There is a real schism here with voices for and against smoking in casinos. We can be sure that people pro-cigarettes are the shareholders and managers who dread their profits reducing if they ban smoking. On the other hand, the staff most exposed to secondhand smoke is making their voice heard and expressing their anger at the mistreatment and lack of care for the very people who help these businesses grow.
While smoking in casinos may still be accepted in certain locations, the activity has a decreasing trend because of the health risks involved. It is only a matter of time before we see it banned everywhere in the country.
