The North Dakota Department of Health and the anti-smoking North Dakota Intertribal Tobacco Use Coalition are partnering on a proposal that would ban smoking in the state’s Native American casinos. The group is made of tribal tobacco prevention staff from each of the state’s reservations, community members, the North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission and other interested parties. In November 2012, North Dakota voters approved legislation banning smoking in indoor workplaces but the law does not apply to reservations.
Krista Fremming, program director for the health department’s tobacco prevention and control, said new policies could be implemented within two years.
Some tribes already prohibit smoking in their casinos. For example, 4 Bears Casino on the Fort Berthold Reservation does not allow smoking on the main gambling floor but allows it in a designated area. In downtown Belcourt, the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa operates a smoke-free mini-casino. Smoking is allowed at the tribe’s Sky Dancer Casino, where the tribe recently opened a smoke-free lounge and events center. Tribal Chairman Richard McCloud said, “We’re starting to take these baby steps, and by next year, hopefully it’s one small step will lead to one giant step.”
McCloud said he recently asked leaders of the Three Affiliated Tribes, Standing Rock Sioux and Spirit Lake Sioux to consider banning smoking at their casinos. He said they worry that if smoking is prohibited in one casino, customers will go to one that allows it. “All the casinos have to all go in. If one does it, it won’t work,” McCloud said. He said most likely the casinos will offer non-smoking areas.
In response, Fremming said the health department discourages that approach because secondhand smoke drifts into nonsmoking areas. She said a survey will be taken this spring to measure tribe members’ perceptions of tobacco use and identify where more education is required.
