Include casinos in the smoking ban

Well, here we go. The smoking ban in Illinois has not even started, and the casinos are already crying about revenue loss if smoking is not allowed while gambling. According to Tom Swoik, the annual income from casino tax will drop nearly $144 million if patrons can't smoke. Well, Mr. Swoik, what is the annual medical cost to treat all the people who have cancer? I am willing to bet that cancer treatment costs the state more. Smokers have polluted this world long enough. It's impossible to enjoy any social gathering due to all the smokers.

I have gone to a casino, and every time a smoker sits down next to anyone they hold their cigarette away from their face and into the person's face next to them. It is impossible to escape the smoke.

And what about all the poor employees who have to work in that constant smoke haze environment? Maybe that's the only job that they were able to get that can pay the bills. What type of insurance benefits do the casinos have for their employees? Will the casinos pay 100 percent for any employee diagnosed with cancer? Will the casinos pay out an annual salary to the surviving employee's family when that employee dies?

The casino owners are all willing to write to the papers about how they are going to lose gamblers to other smoking states and how they are going to lose money because of the smoking ban. What I want to see is one casino owner who might actually show some concern for the employees who make it possible for them to continue living the good life off their casino.

I say no exemption for casinos. When Illinois becomes a smoke-free state Jan. 1, that means all of Illinois.

Helen Clark

Algonquin