Normative Change: Scales of Smoke-Free Spaces in Northern California Casinos

Audience: American Indian policymakers, tobacco control researchers and activists will benefit from an understanding of expanding smoke-free policies in tribally-owned casinos, which are not subject to state smoke-free workplace laws. Key Points: The research team assessed smoke-free policies in tribally-owned casinos in Northern California, including how much and which spaces were deemed smoke-free under these policies. Management in all 37 tribally owned casinos in Northern California were contacted by phone or in person and asked to describe which areas, if any (including hotels, restaurants, bingo halls and slots floors) were currently covered by smoke-free policies. The policies were categorized by type of smoke-free space, tallied and mapped, using Guttman Scaling to analyze patterning in escalating levels of smoke-free space protection. Summary of data: To date, only one casino in the study area features a comprehensive smoke-free policy. The most common smoke-free spaces within the casinos were restaurants. Other casinos also had dedicated smoke-free slot areas, although protection is limited without barriers between these areas and those where smoking is permitted. Nine casinos had no smoke-free policies whatsoever. Educational Experience: Viewers will learn that there is substantial variation between establishments in the degree to which casinos have demarcated smoke-free spaces. Smoke-free policies most often begin with smoke-free restaurants. This pattern may mirror a generalized norm shift to smoke-free dining in California. Benefits: Our finding of a scale or continuum of policy coverage suggests that creating additional smoke-free spaces within tribally-owned casinos is not only entirely feasible but has already begun.