It's Time for Smoke-Free Casinos

The Louisiana 2009 regular legislative session opens Monday. Two south Louisiana lawmakers have bills that would ban smoking in bars. One bill could even address smoking in casinos.

In 2005, the Shreveport City Council passed a ban on smoking in public buildings, city parks, public areas, restaurants, and shopping malls and retail stores. That ban exempted bars and any businesses that sold alcohol. In 2007, all Louisiana workplaces and restaurants became 100% smoke free. It's 2009 and time to make all workplaces smoke free. Casinos included.

Would we lose business if smoking was banned in casinos? We doubt it. Most folks come from Texas to gamble. Many of them come from Dallas. Would gamblers travel to Mississippi or Oklahoma just so they could smoke inside? There are other options for nicotine fixes. Go outside. Use the patch. Chew nicotine gum. Dip. Use snus. Try an electronic cigarette. Why should we cater to a small group of Americans? Smokers are a minority. Only 20 percent of the population smokes. We're not saying stop smoking. Kill yourself if you want. Just don't take us down with you.

Interestingly enough, Dallasites just got a crackdown on the places where they can smoke inside. At the beginning of April, Dallas expanded their smoking ban. From the Dallas Morning News article "... (a) city ordinance banning smoking inside bars and pool halls starts today, but cigarette smokers at bars from Uptown to Greenville Avenue say they will stay loyal to their favorite places and not venture to other cities just to smoke."

Editor's note: I work in a casino. That is until I published this. If there really is freedom of speech in America I suppose I don't have anything to worry about. If there isn't... oh well. My lungs will thank me. And so will my trash can, since I won't have to fill it with sputum any more.

Really would they fire me for publishing this? It is something to consider. Since I know I can be fired if a customer blows smoke in my face and I use my hand to fan it out of my way. I can even be fired if I ask a customer not to blow smoke in my face.

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month

Are you a musician or employee who works in a bar or casino? You stories are wanted by the folks at the Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living.

Will America ever be smoke-free? If other countries are doing it why not us? Ireland became the first country in Europe to make the workplace smoke-free back in March 2004. To get involved in the world wide movement for smoke-free air check out Global Smokefree Partnership.

Picture of the Day

Think life in Big D must be more exciting than life in SB Land? Not hardly when you realize most Texans come to SB Land to play.

Plenty happening here this weekend and leave it to Trudeau to know all about it... Buddy Flett's part of the Thursday Night Trolley Tours.

On Friday there's three meaty choices... a new movie by local movie makers debuts at LSUS Theater... Author-artist Neil Johnson gives insight on his work at the Bossier Arts Council... and the current hot venue Big D's BBQ at the corner of Caddo and Common Streets will have live music by a band that was a part of the hotness that is SXSW.

About all the action being in SB Land -- Darrell Rebouche tells that story in the comments section of this post at his Daddy D's Story Time blog.

Thank you to Mike Henley at slivermeteors for the use of his Shreveport shot.

Slot Machines Make Ya Fat

Las Vegas is the fattest city so says Men's Fitness magazine.

Sin City can thank the large number of fast-food restaurants -- more than any other city on the survey (except Cleveland). Also seven out of ten Las Vegans are so sedentary doctors say they're putting their health at risk.

Good news/bad news? Shreveport Bossier didn't make the top ten fattest or fittest list. Who's fatter than SB? San Antonio (2), Houston (6), Dallas (7), El Paso (8), Arlington (14), and Fort Worth (17). Austin is number 21 on the fittest list.

Fat/fit odd facts: Memphis is the city that watches the most TV and Oakland has the best eating habits.

About the video: Thank you to "me & jason" for sharing the footage of your trip to Shreveport.