It Is Time To Prohibit Smoking At Louisiana's Casinos

Democratic Senator David Heitmeier and Republican representative Frank Hoffman have sponsored two bills, senate bill 36 and house bill 111 which would prohibit smoking on most public college campuses and smoking within 25 feet of state owned buildings as reported in the Times Picayune of March 24, 2013.

Hoffman says second hand smoke is a real health issue and his bill would also add an additional clause to the state's anti-smoking law which acknowledges the mounting evidence of second hand smoke's negative health impacts.  House bill 111 if passed would add the clause, "due to abundant and mounting scientific evidence indicating that there is no risk-free level of exposure to second hand smoke."

So here we have evidence of the harmful effects of second hand smoke on people's health and a burden on the state's health cost system so why is it that smoking is permitted in Louisiana's Casinos where non smokers and smokers sit next to each other in a closed environment.  What is more harmful, being exposed to second hand smoke within 25 feet of a building or being exposed in a closed building with people on top of each other. 

Heitmeier and Hoffman and the rest of Louisiana's delegation in the legislature should bite the bullet and find the courage to prohibit smoking in Louisiana's Casinos where the health of people is more at risk.  If any elected official has been at a Casino they will leave with the smell of smoke on their clothes and know full well smoking is a real problem.  The state and its lawmakers have an obligation to protect the health of its people and forget about the Casino's power of campaign contributions.

Operators of Casinos usually have non smoking areas but that is laughable since smoke travels all over the building and is even spread by the air conditioning and heating systems.  What Heitmeier and Hoffman should be doing is introducing legislation to prohibit smoking in Louisiana's Casinos if they are really serious about protecting the people from second hand smoke.  Heitmeier is an eye specialist and says in information he passes out to patience they should avoid smoking as a means of preventing macular degenaration.  He of all elected officials should be pushing to prohibit smoking in Casinos. 

Elected officials are once again playing games with the smoking issue as health cost continue to rise.  It is past time for the legislature to act on this matter.


This commentary written by John Lucia.