Native American Tribal Casinos Have Proud Smoke-Free History
The following casinos are owned and managed by Native American communities; thus, they are
sovereign nations and are not under the jurisdiction of local, state, or federal governments. 5 Nations
have made their tribally owned casinos 100% smokefree.
Mnjikaning First Nation’s Casino Rama (near Orillia, Ontario, Canada)
since the 1996 opening Casino Rama is one of the largest employers of First
Nation people in Canada.
http://www.aboriginalaffairs.gov.on.
ca/english/news/archives/news_000204.htm
Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation’s Great Blue Heron Charity
Casino
Since January 31, 1997. Now celebrating its 10th anniversary (Port
Perry, Ontario)
http://www.greatblueheroncasino.com/celebrating-10-years.php
Hoopa Valley Tribe’s Lucky Bear Creek Casino (near Hoopa, California)
Taos Pueblo Indians’s Taos Mountain Casino (near Taos, New Mexico)
Taos Mountain Casino Still Remains 100% smoke-free!
"We've been smoke free since day 1... November 4, 1994 when we were
called Taos Slot Room."
http://www.taosmountaincasino.com/
Muckleshoot Indian’s Muckleshoot Casino II (near Auburn, Washington).   
Please visit Casino II, the non-smoking facility. Casino I claims a "huge" non-
Smoke-free Casinos:
ACAS President Lee Fairbanks' letter published in Arizona Native Scene,
February 25, 2008:
Casino smoke takes your breath away
Hello all,

In recent years, I having been getting dozens of the same kind of smoke-filled Casino air pollution
messages from friends. (Messages From both Native Americans and Non-Natives).
Some usually reasonable people evencurse about how pathetically unhealthy it was to even  stick their
head inside a typical casino for a few minutes to the extent that they won't go
back again until Casinos change and ban indoor smoking. Contrary to public perceptions of 20 years
business to promote clean air and promote good health among employees and patrons. Few people,
back again until Casinos change and ban indoor smoking. Contrary to public perceptions of 20 years
even the most addicted of smokers are so self centered as to insist on smoking indoors in shared ago,
secondhand smoke pollution is now so unacceptable to most people that it it is no longer bad for
airspace. The social norm throughout America and many other countries abroad has changed
drastically in recent years about no longer wanting to breath environmental tobacco smoke with its
cancer causing potential.

It is truly refreshing to note the current Navajo Nation Commercial Tobacco Free Southwest Navajo
Tobacco Education and Prevention Program (SNTEPP) Project going
forward on the Navajo Nation. "Arizonans Concerned About Smoking" (ACAS) salutes the Navajo
Courage and strongly supports their effort as does Dr Richard H. Carmona, 17th U.S. Surgeon General,
and many Health and Public Health groups, as well as other groups with the courage to stand up and be
counted. This Navajo Nation project is particularly important, and deserves our solid support because it
will be precedent setting by making all 5 of the future Navajo Nation casinos open smoke-free on the
Reservation (unless the Tribal Council is unable to resist the heavy pressure now being sent their way
from outside the Reservation by Big Commercial Tobacco Companies and their affiliated allies).

On 11-15-07, the Great American Smoke-Out Day at Phoenix Indian MedicalCenter, 252 Native
Americans passed by our "Arizonans ConcernedAbout Smoking" ExhibitTable. 250 out of the 252 (99%)
of the Native Americans signed our Resolution calling for all Casinos to ban indoor smoking and
become smoke-free for the sake of the workers, just like all other workplaces.Strong feelings were
expressed that we've got to stop treating casino employees like unimportant second class citizens,
whose health protection is less important than other workers. It is unfortunate that some have said
incorrectly that whenever doctors and health experts (as well as private citizens) dare to speak up and
ask for remedial correction of the typical unhealthy smoke pollution and increased disease rates in
Casino workers throughout America, it automatically makes such persons both anti-business and
anti-Native American.

There is an unfortunate disconnect between the view that("smoking is great for business") as
advocated in the past to be the common Casino Business leader perception in America
and current enlightened public social norms. The new reality in 2008 is that more non-Native Americans
as potential tourists and casino patrons are driven away by the smoke, than attracted by it. Hence most
health conscious people don't now go to Casinos because of the smoke. Most Native Americans regard
and recognize the casino air pollution as not the Traditional Native American Way to allow addictively
promoted commercial tobacco to be manufactured, exploited and used. It is a contradiction compared to
the limiting of the tobacco plant use to the traditional sacred ceremonial occasions. Many Native
Americans have come to me to complain about allowing the "White Man's Commercial Tobacco Smoke"
to pollute the air in our casinos and "give preventable cancer and breathing problems to our Native
American Casino Employees", who need jobs to support their families.

The time for corrective action regarding the smoky unhealthy casinoworkplaces in America has long
since passed. I believe that the Navajos are just the ones with the courage to take the
corrective action, as an important component of their comprehensive Commercial Tobacco Free
Project. It will be the right thing for the health and well being of the Navajo Nation, with spin off role
model impact benefits extending America-Wide as pace setters for others everywhere.

Respectfully,
Leland L. Fairbanks,MD,MPH
Family Physician, Indian Health Service
1958-88; President, Arizonans Concerned
About Smoking
CASINOS TRYING TO CLEAR AIR OF CIGARETTE SMOKE    
Cathryn Creno,  The Arizona Republic
Jun. 13, 2008 12:00 AM

Health caveats

State health officials and others say the only way to really be safe from the dangers of cigarette smoke
is to stay away from it.

Smoke-clearance systems may "get rid of the smoke but not the toxins," said Wayne Tormala, bureau
chief for the Arizona Department of Health Service's Tobacco Education and Prevention Program. "The
air looks cleaner, but you are still breathing in stuff that is not good for you."

A doctor's outlook

Retired Tempe physician Leland Fairbanks, now president of the Mesa-based Arizonans
Concerned About Smoking Inc.
, explained that toxic particulates from tobacco smoke may remain in
the air after the smoke itself is blown out of a room.

"And it isn't the smoke that kills anyone; it's the toxins," he said.

A 2005 report by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers and a
2006 report from the U.S. Office of the Surgeon General also say air filtration is not enough to
completely prevent the dangers of secondhand smoke.

Baugus said Gila River Casinos is not making any health claims for its new
smoke-clearance system.
He said it is for the gamers' comfort while they are there to play cards or
slots.   
 ***
Reach the reporter at cathryn.creno@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8056.
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/business/articles/0612biz-casinos0613.html
Thanks to Tobacco.org
(Excerpt) ...But in an age when an estimated 80 percent of Americans don't smoke, tribal casinos are
investing in smoke-clearing equipment to keep non-smokers happy and playing the slots.
"It's a business decision casinos are making," said Sheila Morago, executive director of the Arizona
Indian Gaming Association.

"People say they don't want smoke in their faces. And engineers keep coming out with newer and better
(smoke-removal) systems."

The Gila River Indian Community is spending approximately $500,000 on a state-of-the-art
smoke-clearing system at a casino under construction south of Chandler
...
ACAS Projects:      Smoke-Free Casinos | Teens And Tobacco | Smoke-Free Multi-Unit Housing | Education And Reference | Smoke-Free Foster Homes
525 W Southern Ave.    Suite #110    Mesa, AZ 85210  |  ph: 480.733.5864  |   fax: 480.733.1844  |    smokefreeaz@yahoo.com
World Headlines

ACAS/ArizonaHeadlines

Smoke-Free AZ History

Officers

Projects

Mark Your Calendar

Napolitano Honored

Health Links

Volunteers Slideshow

Contact Us
Our Purpose Is
To Save Lives
To understand why ventilation
systems have little effect in
smoke-filled environments,
read

"Air Filtration"? That's Just
Tobacco Companies
Blowing Smoke Again"

"The Health Consequences of
Involuntary Exposure to
Tobacco Smoke: A Report of
the Surgeon General"
excerpted (2006)
(Word doc)

"Third Hand Smoke: Is It A
Threat To Your Health?"
Smoking rates among gamblers at Nevada casinos mirror U.S. smoking rate
Chris A Pritsos, Karen L Pritsos, Karen E Spears
University of Nevada, Reno, United States.
OBJECTIVES: To determine the percentage of gamblers who smoke while gambling at three of
Nevada's major gambling destinations, Las Vegas, Reno/Sparks and Lake Tahoe. METHODS: Teams of
2 people counted the number of smokers and total number of gamblers at various Nevada Casinos. The
total number of gamblers observed smoking was then multiplied by three to determine the total number
of smokers. This methodology for determining the number of smokers in a room was established by
Repace and Lowry in 1980.

RESULTS: We observed a total of 14,052 gamblers at the three sites of which a total of 947 were
smoking. We estimated the percentage of smokers at three gaming tourist centers in Nevada (Las
Vegas, Reno/Sparks, and Lake Tahoe). The percentage of smokers at Las Vegas (20.3% +/- 95%
CI0.9) and Reno/Sparks (21.5% +/- 95% CI 1.2) did not significantly differ from the U.S. population
percentage of smokers (20.9 +/- 95% CI 0.6)(p >0.05). However, at Lake Tahoe the percentage of
smokers (16.4% +/- 95% CI 1.8) was significantly lower than the published U.S. population smoker
percentage (p<.0.0001). Mean percentage of smokers by location did not significantly differ (p=0.43)

CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that the percentage of gamblers who smoke was less
than or not different than the overall U.S. percentage
of a population who smoke. These findings
provide additional evidence to refute the exemption to smoking bans for casinos based  upon the
supposition that a greater percentage of casino customers are smokers than the general population
and
therefore a smoking ban for casinos may result in an economic hardship.
Tob Control. 2008 Feb 14; : 18276735 (P,S,E,B,D)    http://lib.bioinfo.pl/pmid:18276735  and
http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/17/2/82
Click chart to view entire report:
The Percentage of Gamblers Who Smoke:
A Study of Nevada Casinos and other Gaming Venues
Dr. Chris A. Pritsos Principle Investigator / University of Nevada / Reno, NV 89557



Contact smokefreeaz@yahoo.com for more info
Secondhand Smoke and Nevada Casino Workers
Exposure and Health Risks
Powerpoint By Dr. Chris A. Pritsos / University of Nevada / Reno, Nevada
Denogean: Tribes: Snuff the butts at casinos
                     ANNE T. DENOGEAN    08/15/2008                           
The Navajo Nation recently came close to doing the right thing and beginning a smoking ban in all public
areas, including its future casinos.
It was close, but no cigar, as concern for casino profits took precedence over tribal health, as has been
true with nearly every tribe that enters into the gaming business.
Apparently, they've learned too well the ways of the white man, who also refuses to let customer or
worker health concerns stand in the way of maximizing profits in his smoke-filled casinos.
All four Tucson-area casinos - two run by the
Pascua Yaqui and two by the Tohono O'odham -
allow smoking, with some designated nonsmoking
areas. Representatives from both tribes declined to
comment for this column.
On July 25, the Navajo Nation Council voted to ban
use of commercial tobacco in public buildings and
in shared public air space at outdoor venues. On
Aug. 8, tribal President Joe Shirley Jr. rejected the
measure, in large part, because he feared it would
hurt business at the planned Navajo casinos.
The Navajo will open their first casino this fall in
Church Rock, N.M., and eventually hope to open as many as six casinos in Arizona and New Mexico.
Banning smoking would put the Nation at a "competitive disadvantage," Shirley said in his veto message.
Council delegate Thomas Walker Jr., who represents the southwestern portion of the Nation in Arizona,
sponsored the anti-tobacco legislation.
Though he described the measure during a phone interview as a health law, not a casino law, he said
he is concerned that some 200 employees in each casino would be exposed to secondhand smoke for
eight to 10 hours each working day.
And he questioned whether a no-smoking policy really would hurt the planned casinos.

"How do we know we would be the least attractive casino if we banned smoking?" asked Walker, who's
hoping the council will override the veto.
In fact, going smoke-free could have the opposite effect.
The gaming industry has long claimed that 70 percent of its customer are smokers, but recent research
out of the University of Nevada, Reno, debunked the myth, finding that 4 of 5 casino customers are
nonsmokers. And a survey of 1,700 California gamblers released by J.D. Powers and Associates last
month found that 85 percent would prefer a smoke-free environment.
Casino operators across the country are adding nonsmoking areas and improving their air ventilation
systems. But only a few have taken the courageous and ethical step of going completely smoke-free.
For the Taos Pueblo tribe of
northern New Mexico, which
operates the Taos Mountain
Casino, the decision to go
"100 percent smoke-free" has
set it apart, in a good way,
from the rest of state's
casinos.
The Taos Pueblo entered gaming with a tobacco-free, 10-machine slot room in 1994. It was a success
from Day One when people waited outside in a snowstorm to get in, said Marc Kaplan, marketing
director for the casino.

Even smokers liked the non-smoking policy because "they were happy that they didn't have to get other
people's smoke in their hair and clothing," Kaplan said.
When the Taos Pueblo expanded the slot room into a casino in 1997, there was no doubt it would
remain smoke-free, he said.
Kaplan said if other casinos went the same route, they'd be surprised at how many more nonsmoking
gamblers would come in and at how much longer those customers would stay.
Taos Mountain has exceeded the tribe's financial expectations, Kaplan said. Customers come from
many miles away to play in a smoke-free environment. And the smoking ban helps the casino keep its
expenses down.
In comments made in April at a meeting of the Southwest Navajo Tobacco Education Prevention Project,
Kaplan estimated that Taos Mountain saves 20 percent on its property, casualty and risk management
insurance results because of the policy.
Casino employees call in sick less frequently because they aren't exposed to second-hand smoke, he
said. And less illness has meant better HMO rates.
The casino has no cigarette burns on the bar stools, the chairs or the carpeting, all of which are
expensive to replace, repair or clean.
The doors, walls and slot machines require less cleaning. And the casino never has to buy ashtrays or
matches.
As someone who has enjoyed concerts, dining, dancing and gambling at all four Tucson-area casinos,
I've always thought the tribes were doing a disservice to their customers and their employees, many of
whom are Native Americans, by allowing smoking.
What's sad about it is they don't have to sacrifice people for profit. The Taos Mountain experience
proves that a smoke-free casino can have both healthy profits and healthy people.
Anne T. Denogean can be reached at 573-4582 and adenogean@tucsoncitizen.com.
Address letters to P.O. Box 26767, Tucson, AZ 85726-6767. Her columns run Tuesdays and Fridays.
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/local/93805.php          Thanks to Tobacco.org
For technical issues or errors:   webmasterACAS@cox.net  |  Rick Johnson
Thanks to: Karen Zielaski, Project Director, Healthy Policies, E-mail: healthypolicies@earthlink.net Office: 1(520)290-0032
Copyright Arizonans Concerned About Smoking Inc. (ACAS). All rights reserved.

Please make your tax deductible donation  to:  Arizonans Concerned About Smoking, Inc.

Note: All contributions to the work of ACAS, Inc. are fully tax deductible as ACAS, Inc. is a 501C3 Corporation

Please copy, paste and print the following:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here is my tax deductible contribution to ACAS of:
[ ]$25 [ ]$50 [ ]$100 [ ]$500 [ ]$1,000 [ ]Other $________________
Name _______________________________________________________________
Address_____________________________________________________________
City ______________________________ State ______ Zip ___________________
Make checks payable to: Arizonans Concerned About Smoking
525 W. Southern, Suite 110, Mesa, AZ, 85210
(480) 733-5864 E-mail: acasinc@msn.com
www.acasinc.org
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
World Headlines/ACAS Home | ACAS/ArizonaHeadlines | Smoke-Free AZ History | Officers | Projects | Smoke-Free Casinos | Teens And Tobacco | Smoke-Free Multi-Unit
Housing | Education And Reference | Smoke-Free Foster Homes | Mark Your Calendar | Napolitano Honored | Health Links | Volunteers Slideshow | Contact Us
Secondhand Smoke Kills