Michigan Smokers Must Flock To Casinos To Pollute The Air

Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm signed the new smoking ban into law on this past Friday, and it has left smokers with little options. One option will be to gather on casino floors, where smoking is still legal.

As is the case with any law, politicians must protect the special interest groups, and in the case of the Michigan smoking ban, that interest group is the casinos. They used powerful lobbying techniques to ensure that their establishments steer clear of any possible safety precautions that a smoking ban would have brought.

Workers at the state's casinos were not pleased with the compromise, but come May, they will have many other businesses where they can apply for a job without the risk of being exposed to second-hand smoke. Bars and restaurants must follow the new laws, meaning no smoking at these establishments.

The freedom to go out to dinner and smoke had always been an option for smokers, but in May, when the law takes affect, these smokers will have to make an important decision. Do they want to eat, or do they want to smoke?

For those that do not like tough decisions, the casinos in Michigan offer restaurants, and the smokers can then move over to the casino floor to light up. Although it seems crazy to some lawmakers to make some public places free of second-hand smoke dangers, the exemptions for casinos was a deal-maker.

Casinos in other states have attempted to show that smoking bans have hurt their business. There have been those who have supported the smoking ban, however, that argue it is the recession hurting the casinos, and not the smoking ban.

Many states have changed their laws to protect their citizens against smoking related health issues. Michigan has now become the latest, and in the case of the casino exemptions, anti-smoking advocate Billy Jasper believes that a state must crawl before it can walk.

December 22, 2009
Posted By April Gardner
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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