15 Minutes: Andrea Corral Garcia, Coordinator for Smoke Free Truckee Meadows 

Andrea Corral Garcia is the grassroots coordinator for Smoke Free Truckee Meadows (SFTM), a campaign to provide smoke-free workplaces for workers in casinos and other places where there’s secondhand smoke; the effort is spearheaded by the Nevada Cancer Coalition.  

What is the scope of the problem? How many people are affected by smoke in their workplaces? 

The Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act, which passed in 2006, prohibits smoking in most indoor public places and indoor places of employment. However, places like casinos, bars, etc., where many Nevada employees work, were exempted in this act. Currently, there are no smoke-free casinos in Washoe County—100 percent of the existing casinos allow smoking. Bars that don’t serve food can have smoking, but we’re happy to say some have opted to be smoke-free for the benefit of their customers and employees. Plus, they’ve told us smoking would kill the vibe. Around 40,000 people, many of them women and minorities, are exposed to secondhand smoke and vape fumes while at work just in the Truckee Meadows. There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke, and the ventilation systems many casinos have installed may make the air smell like flowers, but they don’t protect employees’ health. People who work in other types of hazardous environments are provided adequate protection, but people working in hospitality are not. 

What steps need to be taken in order for the Truckee Meadows to become smoke-free? What needs to happen, and what entities need to approve these steps?  

Local governments can choose to become smoke-free, and here in the Truckee Meadows, we have been working with Reno, Sparks and Washoe County to pass local ordinances. Nearly 80 percent of Washoe County residents support making casinos and bars smoke-free, so it’s what our community wants. While we are working specifically in this community, we also partner with the Nevada Tobacco Control and Smoke-free Coalition to advocate at the Legislature for a statewide, indoor smoke-free law. 

What pushback have you had trying to get your message out? 

Billboard companies have said that our message is not in the scope of their business and won’t let us buy space. There is a false perception that smoke-free businesses will hurt revenue for these businesses and will therefore hurt our local economy. This isn’t the case. Businesses here in the Truckee Meadows and in other areas that have gone smoke-free have not seen losses. In fact, after going smoke-free, many businesses gain customers who currently avoid them because of the smoky air. 

What kinds of responses have you had from casinos to your efforts? 

Despite data showing no harm to revenue, thousands of dollars that could be saved in health care costs, and the potential for healthier and more productive employees, casinos have resisted moving toward smoke-free environments. While most Washoe County residents support smoke-free environments, most local casino owners do not live in our community. 

What would you say to people who consider smoking an integral part of casino culture or bar culture? 

Smoking is not an integral part of casino or bar culture in other communities. It’s not part of our community culture, either, so there’s no reason for it. This effort is not trying to take something away from people who smoke. It’s trying to protect people in their places of work—a protection tens of thousands of others take for granted every day. 

What can people do to help? 

You can sign our petition to stand up for smoke-free, as well as join the Facebook page CEASE Nevada, which stands for Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects. You can email your Reno and Sparks City Council and Washoe County Commission members to share your story and ask them to support smoke-free. You can attend meetings and make public comments to share your story and support smoke-free. We can help identify meetings and help you share your story. You can also join the Nevada Tobacco Control and Smoke-free Coalition and support any upcoming statewide efforts.