I am really starting to hate Vegas, yes THAT Vegas!

So, I am going to step on some toes with what I am about to say. But, so be it. Sorry to all of you smokers out there, nothing personal.

Just attended Citrix Summit in Las Vegas. Always a great event, no matter where they have it. Except in Las Vegas for a non smoker with a sensitive breathing apparatus (you know, nose, mouth, sinuses, lungs ...). OMG! Walking from my hotel room through the New York New York casino, across the street and through the entire MGM Grand casino, to get to the MGM Grand Conference Center (which according to Google Maps, is just over a mile), was like being back in Navy boot camp in Great Lakes and going through fire fighting training where you had to go through a burning mock up of a ship, without your OBA (Oxygen Breathing Apparatus or re-breather as it's sometimes called), where you coughed and hacked for hours afterwards. But, according to the Navy trainer, this was needed so that you understood how dangerous just the smoke from a fire is. I got the point back then. Stop, drop and crawl to avoid breathing in the smoke. Why? Because it will kill you.

Guess what my smoking friends? Your exhaling after each puff, produces 2nd hand smoke that is actually more dangerous than the smoke from those fire fighting training sessions I had to attend 30 years ago. I could literally feel my lungs getting coated in the by-products of the 2nd hand smoke that was everywhere in Vegas. I had red eyes, clogged sinuses and a cough that scared everyone within ten feet of me into taking a detour around me. The only refuge I found, was in my hotel room. I was so sick by the 4th day, I spent the last day of the conference in my hotel room watching the closing notes via live streaming because I dared not to go back to the conference center and endure another day of breathing in over 7000 poisons (yes, you read correct - look it up) from the aftermath of someone smoking a cigarette.

To add insult to injury, during the Citrix Summit Party (The Goo Goo Dolls performed) the venue, as soon as we entered, a full 1.5 hours before the concert, decided to turn on the smoke machines (you know, to get that dungeon effect) which ended up being the final nail in my "Do I have to continue to breathe in this foul air coffin lid." I guess I should call it "Coughing Lid." Needless to say, by the time the Dolls took the stage, I was in a coughing fit that had only one remedy, get the hell outta here!

I have now made the decision that I will no longer attend conferences for any vendor in Las Vegas. Orlando? Yes. Anaheim? Yes. New Orleans? Yes. Any place but Las Vegas.

Plus I've never won anything there anyway.....

BTW - It's estimated that only 10% of Las Vegas visitors are smokers. The only public places where smoking is still allowed in Vegas are stand alone bars (without restaurants) and, you guessed it, casinos. I guess that 10% revenue from the smoking clan is more important than the health of the other 90% non-smokers.

Also, thank you to those smokers that step outside to smoke. Your sacrifice is much appreciated!