Keep smoking out of casinos

Here we go again. The Illinois Casino Gaming Association is once again complaining that the smoking ban is to blame for lost revenue from Illinois casinos. Unfortunately, the Illinois House could actually consider giving an exemption to casinos. Does anyone in the gaming association or house realize that we are in a recession?

Every day there are more and more homes being foreclosed on, the unemployment numbers are up, charities have stated that giving is down, food pantries are stating that they have seen a huge increase in people needing help putting food on their table, businesses are closing, the list goes on and on.

The sales from Black Friday, usually the biggest revenue day of the year for retail shops, was only 0.3 percent higher than last year.

I can't believe that the Illinois Gaming Casino Association is trying to benefit from our recession. They are hoping to increase their revenue and are using the smoking ban as an excuse.

The Daily Herald ran an article stating that there is proof that second hand smoke kills 600,000 people a year. Yet, even with this information, the Illinois Casino Gaming Association wants to bring back smoking.

In a shocking twist, even Elgin Mayor Ed Schock would like to see an exemption for the casino's gambling floor.

In my opinion, anyone who would support bringing smoking back to the Illinois casinos obviously thinks that the lives of 600,000 people is a fair price to pay if it means increasing their capital gain.

Helen Clark

Algonquin