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View of proposed ban

Dear Editor:

The ban or not to ban smoking question throughout Hancock County brought out politicians, business interest and some employees of Mountaineer Casino to address their concerns to the health board on July 23.

Here’s just some thoughts on who said what and what’s going to happen in real time:

If one is age 70 and gets lung cancer, who cares? If a 10-year-old gets brain or lung cancer, everybody acts like they care until it comes time to do something about the cause.

Chris Kern, general manager of Mountaineer Casino, was there to sell his product – gambling, with some misconception of doom and gloom if the county bans smoking.

His numbers on taxes and lost revenue have nothing to do with smoking. Competition from non-smoking casinos in Ohio are a problem with a new one opening in September – Austintown’s “Hollywood Gaming,” a racino 40 minutes up river, 20 minutes from Youngstown.

Mayors, commissioners, you name them, we’re doing their job as politicians justify smoking in the name of revenue lost not life lost.

The sad thing is for the faithful workforce that showed up. Don’t be fooled by the non-smoking ban reducing the workforce. The merger of MTR Gaming Inc. and Eldorado Hold Co. LLC has been approved. When completed, the new company will reduce the workforce with a ‘sorry folks, that’s the nature of business’ without blinking an eye.

The five-member appointed health board, honoring a symbolic oath to protect the health of public, should now do their job.

Join the movement that’s happening nationwide. Twenty-eight West Virginia counties ban smoking. All Ohio casinos – no exceptions – ban smoking. And Pennsylvania is coming online very soon.

With the playing field now being equal, let the private sector do what it does best. Compete. And quit asking for corporate welfare programs.

Steve Kopa

Weirton

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