100 signatures reached
To: Governor Gavin Newsom and the California Legislature
Ban Smoking in California Casinos: Renegotiate Tribal-State Gaming Compacts
We are calling on the governor to renegotiate all tribal-state gaming compacts to ban smoking in California casinos. In addition, we are calling on the California legislature to ratify each compact after its renegotiation.
Why is this important?
Many of us are current and former casino workers who love our jobs but are concerned about our health and the health of our customers. Every day tens of thousands of people -- including senior citizens, pregnant women, and families with children -- are needlessly exposed to secondhand smoke in California casinos.
According to the Surgeon General and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), secondhand tobacco smoke causes heart disease, lung cancer, stroke, breathing problems, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and there is no safe amount of secondhand smoke exposure. Recognizing the public health concern, California in 1995 was the first state in the country to ban smoking in public places. Unfortunately none of these protections apply to California casinos. Although it is common for worker and consumer protections to be written into the compacts, many tribal-state gaming compacts specifically mention that state laws or regulations governing the use of tobacco do not apply to the tribe. This needs to change.
California casino workers and customers deserve the same health and safety protections that apply to non-tribal establishments. The governor has the power and authority to renegotiate the tribal-state gaming compacts to ban smoking in California casinos. The revised compact language can be written so that each casino's smoking ban starts on the same date across the whole state to ensure that no casino has a competitive advantage over another casino.
Many states including New York, Massachusetts, Louisiana, Maryland, and others have made their casinos smoke free. It's time for California to do the same.
According to the Surgeon General and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), secondhand tobacco smoke causes heart disease, lung cancer, stroke, breathing problems, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and there is no safe amount of secondhand smoke exposure. Recognizing the public health concern, California in 1995 was the first state in the country to ban smoking in public places. Unfortunately none of these protections apply to California casinos. Although it is common for worker and consumer protections to be written into the compacts, many tribal-state gaming compacts specifically mention that state laws or regulations governing the use of tobacco do not apply to the tribe. This needs to change.
California casino workers and customers deserve the same health and safety protections that apply to non-tribal establishments. The governor has the power and authority to renegotiate the tribal-state gaming compacts to ban smoking in California casinos. The revised compact language can be written so that each casino's smoking ban starts on the same date across the whole state to ensure that no casino has a competitive advantage over another casino.
Many states including New York, Massachusetts, Louisiana, Maryland, and others have made their casinos smoke free. It's time for California to do the same.
How it will be delivered
When we reach 1000 signers we will schedule a press conference and deliver them in person to the governor, the speaker of the California State Assembly, and the president pro tem of the California State Senate.
