Up in Smoke

Well, chalk up another casualty to Nevada's new anti-smoking law.   Along with thousands of jobs and a hefty portion of tavern revenue, add the two-three-twenty.

First off, let me state, I don't smoke.   I haven't smoked for years, but I have no problem with people smoking in adult, non-compulsory locations.   Like bars.

The two-three-twenty is, $20 in a bar-top machine that you ride for two-three drinks*.   (With the drinking/driving laws nowadays, you don't want to push it past 3 drinks)   Playing video blackjack, I have done this for hours in local bars.  The trick was, don't try to win.  If you didn't try to win, then you wouldn't lose.   At least, with blackjack.   Playing sensibly, I have walked away with a couple of free drinks under my belt and sometimes, an extra couple of twenties, because I was being subsidized by all the other players who wanted to win.

But the loss of business caused by smoker avoidance has led to bar owners tightening up the payouts on their bar-tops.

This sucks.   The machines in bars make more money for most owners than drinks.   As a marginal player, I wasn't costing them anything, downing top-shelf vodka and beer and then walking out after tossing a couple bucks at the bartender.   There were many, many more people gladly feeding the machines whole car payments, easily making up for my frugality.

But now, those folks, those obsessive folk - cigarette in one hand, drink in the other - punching buttons and feeding the bill-reader, are gone.

So, the games are much tighter and I dropped $13.50 on a Grey Goose and Sierra Nevada and I'm pissed.

This is what the law should read: § Nevada Revised Statute 420: If you don't like people smoking in bars, then stay the fuck out of bars.

Because, you know, it's all about me and what I get to do.   Thanks for fucking up this small piece of Vegas for me.   If I see you in traffic, I may not signal a lane-change.

--

*In these bars, if you put money in a machine, you are automatically "comped" for drinks.   A basic rule of thumb is, 2-3 drinks per $20.  YMMV.   You put in five dollars, don't expect to sit there and order drinks all night without playing more money.