A group of casino workers in Kansas are pushing for new legislation to ban smoking in state-owned casinos this week. Casinos are one of the last few establishments in the Sunflower State where smoking inside is still permitted.
Local advocates, casino workers are petitioning to ban smoking inside Kansas’ four state-owned casinos
According to KSNT 27 News, local advocates and casino workers are petitioning to make changes on this policy. They argue that smokers know the risks of the activity but non-smokers on the gaming floor are unfairly impacted.
A study conducted by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found half of the casinos sampled had air pollution levels known to cause cardiovascular disease after only two hours of exposure.
Over 16 million Americans are currently living with a smoking-related disease. Smoking and secondhand smoke exposure cause over 480,000 deaths in the U.S. each year. This is nearly one in five deaths.
The CDC said there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke, with even brief exposure resulting in deadly health complications. Secondhand smoke can cause coronary heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer.