Sin City’s Veiled Threat to Hepatitis C
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Known as one of the world’s favorite adult playgrounds, Las Vegas, Nevada is overflowing with a variety of entertainment options. Although the prime attraction remains its casinos, Las Vegas is known just as much for its celebrity appeal, high fashion centers, outrageous shows, dazzling musical performances, topnotch dining, adrenaline-pumping rides and other opulent offerings. Presumably for lowering inhibitions and releasing fiscal reigns, alcohol flows freely in this desert oasis. While alcohol indulgence is an obvious aggravator to those with the Hepatitis C virus, there is another, less apparent risk omnipresent in Las Vegas.
Otherwise known as Sin City, one of Vegas’ major health risks is no secret to its visitors: secondhand smoke. Most people are familiar with the danger secondhand smoke poses to the respiratory system, but many are not aware of the stress it puts on the liver. For the millions of Americans managing chronic Hepatitis C, this additional stress could be enough to worsen their liver disease.
As the hazards of secondhand smoke become increasingly known, most of our nation’s public places have already – or are leaning towards – banishing smoking. However, the casinos in Las Vegas have bucked this trend, holding out as one of the last locations where smokers are free to light up and puff away.
For every cigarette smoked, about half of the smoke is inhaled and exhaled by the smoker and the other half floats around in the air. While secondhand smoke may not kill as many people as smoking does, it is a toxic mixture consisting of many poisons and carcinogens:
- With over 4,000 chemical compounds in secondhand smoke, 200 are known to be poisonous, and around 60 have been identified as carcinogens.
- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has labeled secondhand smoke as a “Class A” cancer-causing substance. Class A is considered the most dangerous of cancer agents and there is no known safe level of exposure.
Because a liver with Hepatitis C is constantly battling the virus, it is less effective at filtering toxins out of the blood. Therefore, excessive toxin exposure is likely to either cause more liver damage or lead to a buildup of toxins in the bloodstream. Unfortunately, both of these scenarios worsen the course of liver disease.
More and more government agencies are supportive of smoking bans, the best measure to prevent non-smokers from breathing air tainted with cigarette smoke. In November 2006, Nevada voters passed the Clean Indoor Air Act, banning smoking in restaurants, bars that serve food and public spaces like malls – basically, everywhere indoors except casino floors, bars that don’t serve food and brothels. Unfortunately, a majority of public spaces in Las Vegas contain casinos and bars – and it is near impossible to tell where the no-smoking area ends and the yes-smoking area begins.
Those with Hepatitis C may find themselves in Sin City regardless of their vulnerability to the damaging effects of secondhand smoke. In lieu of walking around in a glass bubble, experts suggest the following to minimize toxin exposure:
- Cover Up – These days, it is not uncommon to see people sitting at a slot machine or blackjack table with a respiratory mask on. Even though it may not be stylish, secondhand smoke won’t penetrate a properly worn mask. For a less obvious approach, keep a scarf around your neck to cover your mouth and nose when near heavy smokers.
- Crowd Avoidance – In Las Vegas, more people equals more smoke. Try to schedule your trip there off-peak, like in the middle of the week during the summer. In addition, consider hitting the casinos during the earlier part of the day.
- Fortify Liver Cells – Prepare your liver for the expected onslaught of toxins by supplementing with milk thistle before, during and after your visit to Las Vegas. Because milk thistle strengthens the outer walls of liver cells, it makes them more resilient to damage from inhaled toxins.
- Gamble at Newer Hotels – The newer casinos have the most advanced ventilation and air-filtration systems. According to Cindy Ortega, MGM-Mirage’s senior vice president of energy and environmental services, Bellagio is one of the best, where the casino air is “turned” 12 times an hour.
- Gamble in Designated Smoke-Free Areas – Affected by secondhand smoke to a lesser degree, some casinos have smoke-free gaming areas. Whether heading for a poker room, gaming tables or slots, inquire about smoke-free areas with each hotel’s concierge.
- Stick to the Pathing – Most hotels advise “pathing” to those concerned with getting through a casino to reach another destination – such as a hotel room, spa, pool, stores or restaurant. By staying on the path (either winding through sections or along the perimeter), non-smokers are in a partially smoke-free corridor where they circumvent the majority of casino floor action.
Even armed with the knowledge that secondhand smoke is a major problem in Las Vegas, millions of people will visit each year. Whether the trip is for business or personal reasons, many with Hepatitis C will be faced with the challenge of how to care for their liver while in Las Vegas. Luckily, some forethought and special planning can help minimize Sin City’s smoky, toxic onslaught so that those with Hepatitis C can enjoy this giant adult playground.
References:
http://govegas.about.com/od/lasvegasvacation/a/smoking.htm, Las Vegas Gambling With No Smokers? . . . . It’s Becoming A Reality!!, Dani White, Retrieved November 9, 2010, About.com, 2010.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2008030942_trvegassmoke06.html, Breathing Las Vegas: A smoke-sensitive tourist on a statewide smoking ban, Sandy Dunham, Retrieved November 9, 2010, The Seattle Times Company, 2010.
http://www.liversupport.com/wordpress/2008/02/how-to-protect-your-liver-from-secondhand-smoke/, How to Protect Your Liver from Secondhand Smoke, Nicole Cutler,m L.Ac., Retrieved November 12, 2010, Natural Wellness, 2010.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/12/us/12smoke.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&src=mv, Las Vegas Casinos Are a Last Bastion for Smokers, Adam Nagourney, Retrieved November 12, 2010, The New York Times Company, 2010.
