To the editor:

Secondhand smoke (SHS), is killing people. Workers at casinos that still allow indoor smoking are at elevated risk. I have worked at what is now called Ballys in Lincoln, since 7/14/1979 (45+ years). During my workday, my clothes would accumulate the stench of SHS to the point that I would need to launder them every day. I retired at age 63, due to health reasons at my doctor’s request.

When you inhale SHS, you are inhaling over seven thousand (7,000) volatile organic compounds, of which at least seventy (70) of them are proven to cause lung cancer, respiratory illness, heart attacks and more. These chemicals include formaldehyde, benzene, naphthalene, and acetaldehyde.

According to the American Cancer Society, exposure to SHS increases the chances of developing lung cancer by 20%. Imagine, if you will, what that number would rise to if you are there to maintain your livelihood forty (40) hours per week for years!

Proponents of smoking indoors at casinos would argue that revenue would decline if there was no smoking on the casino floor. This is, in most cases, a fallacy. The cost of insurance, absenteeism, cleaning, and lawsuits add up. Recent surveys suggest that the second most important factor when choosing a casino is a 100% smoke-free environment. In my personal experience at Ballys, I notice that the big spenders (whales) are more often non-smokers than smokers.

Joseph Morin
Coventry