Omigod, here's some astonishing news that's just going to blow the lid off this whole casino thing:
Indiana's casino workers and customers breathe air containing 14 times more secondhand smoke than the air outside, a Purdue University study has found.
The study, released by the Indiana Campaign for Smokefree Air and the Indiana Academy of Family Physicians, comes as the legislature reconsiders a smoke-free workplace law. A similar bill did not make it to the floor last year.
Thousands of people smoking in enclosed spaces creates smoky rooms -- who knew? For their next study, how about, "Gambling in casinos likely to result in sudden cash loss" or, "Drinking in casinos could be dangerous if you drive"? Oh, no, wait, I know: "Taking that waitress home is not a guarantee of a lifelong relationship."
There was this fascinating factoid in the story, from a casino representative who spoke of the economic impact if smoking were banned: One Evansville casino found that a slot machine in the non-smoking area averaged about $147 a day, compared with $337 in the smoking area. Could it be that smokers are desperately trying for money to feed their habits? Or maybe they just have an "Oh, what the hell, can't take it with you" attitude.
