Smoke Free coalition on bingo, ventilation issues

The following material, relating to the ventilation and charity issues raised by Greenbelt Bingo, is excerpted by SooToday News from an inch-thick report presented to City Council by the 100% Smoke Free Coalition:

************************************************************************************** Effects on charities

Workers and charity volunteers need protection from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke.

Charity groups have been vocal in opposing any proposed 100% bylaw fearing revenue loss because of the high smoking rates among their bingo patrons.

However, individuals within these groups have called the Public Health department complaining about the risks of volunteering in smoke-filled venues and offering their personal support.

Parent volunteers have indicated a concern with speaking up publicly in support of smoke-free bingos for fear of repercussions to their child involved in a sport that receives money from bingos.

Many local charities and community groups are highly dependent on bingo revenue to support their work in the community.

These same groups often have internal mandates to promote health in the community or physical activity with youth, which puts them at odds with not supporting a 100% smoking bylaw that is the single most important public health intervention available at the municipal level of government.

The charities run bingos using premises and equipment rented from a hall operator.

The operator may be a non-profit company or a charity.

Given the way the bingo system is structured, charities only receive a small fraction -- roughly 10 percent of total revenues.

The rules governing the operation of charity bingos are set by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).

The City licenses the operation of charity bingos and is permitted by AGCO to collect a license fee of up to three percent of the total prize value. The hall operators and the charities organize themselves on a province-wide basis and are represented by the Registered Gaming Suppliers of Ontario Association and the Ontario Charitable Gaming Association respectively.

Ventilation

Electronic air cleaners are not an effective means of protecting the public and workers or volunteers from their risks of second-hand smoke.

Such ventilation systems do not protect those closest to the smoker and collect only a portion of the most visible substances found in tobacco smoke while leaving behind the gases and the volatiles.

Separately ventilated and completely enclosed designated smoking rooms (DSRs) do not protect workers and patrons from second-hand smoke.

A medium-sized DSR (holding 20 persons) would cost approximately $70,000 plus maintenance, amounting to about $3,500 per smoker capital cost (Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit). Studies have concluded that to reach a level of tobacco smoke where the risk of an employee contracting cancer would meet acceptable U.S. federal standards, ventilation would have to increase 270 fold.

This is technically impossible and the cost would be prohibitive.

************************************************************************************** Under the B, boring....

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