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Health Groups Renew Push To Ban Smoking At Casinos

Reporter: Associated Press

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Kansas City health advocates say it's time for area casinos to ban smoking on their gambling floors.

The casinos say such a ban would put them at a competitive disadvantage unless gambling halls on both sides of the Kansas-Missouri line go along with it.

Clean Air Metro KC told The Kansas City Star it has been talking with casino representatives and elected officials about instituting bans. The coalition, which includes the American Cancer Society, American Lung Association and county health departments, says it would be easier for the casinos to voluntarily ban smoking than to drag the issue out through the legislative system.

But the casinos have a lot of financial clout, and so far have been able to withstand all challenges to their smoking sovereignty.