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GREEN BAY - The three Oneida Nation casinos in the Green Bay area that recently reopened have prohibited smoking inside.
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Brandon Stevens, vice chairman of the Nation, said it was simply a matter of logistics.
“Masks are mandatory (inside the casinos), making it a lot more difficult to smoke in the first place,” he said.
Stevens added that the ban also makes sense now because COVID-19 is a respiratory illness and smoking may exasperate the problem.
Bobbi Webster, Oneida Nation public relations director, said it’s too early to tell what economic impact the smoking ban may have, whether negative, positive or none at all.
She said there might be indicators in a month or so.
Meanwhile, the American Lung Association is applauding the ban.
“This policy will protect the health of workers and customers from dangerous secondhand smoke and e-cigarette emissions, and we call for the permanent adoption of this policy,” the association said in a statement.
Stevens said the tribal council will look at once again allowing smoking “down the road.”
Wisconsin banned smoking at indoor businesses 10 years ago, but tribes as sovereign nations have jurisdiction over their lands, the American Lung Association stated.
The association also applauded the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of the Mohican Indians for banning smoking at its casino in Bowler.
Ho-Chunk gaming in Madison was the first tribal-owned casino to ban smoking five years ago, the association said.
“We strongly urge other casinos in Wisconsin to follow the lead of these tribes,” the association stated.
Tobacco is an important part of Oneida Nation culture. The Nation is planning a tobacco burning ceremony this Thursday, but Stevens said there’s a dichotomy between using the leaf for religious events and for recreation.
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He said the natural Native American tobacco is used to pray with when it burns as smoke and prayers go up to the Creator.
The Oneida Nation casinos had been closed since mid-March because of the pandemic and had reopened May 26.
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“As we begin recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, we hope to do so with the support of our greater community,” the Nation said in a statement. “Every business in our communities have been impacted by the pandemic and are seeking recovery and we support all efforts towards re-building these businesses.”
Frank Vaisvilas is a Report For America corps member based at the Green Bay Press-Gazette covering Native American issues in Wisconsin. He can be reached at 920-228-0437 or fvaisvilas@gannett.com, or on Twitter at @vaisvilas_frank.
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This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Oneida Nation casinos in Green Bay area reopen smoke-free amid coronavirus pandemic