Local Hotels Go Smoke Free

If you want to light up while staying at a Marriot you need to think again. The hotel is now imposing a new policy, they are now a smoke free environment. "There is a large request for non smoking rooms now, we still have smokers but for the most part the largest amount of customers are smoke free people," explained Sarita Russell, Director of Sales, Residence Inn by Marriot. The Marriot hotels are the first in Shreveport to go smoke free and puffing on a cigarette isn`t going to be taken lightly be prepared to deal with the consequences. "There is a fee involved and we do discuss that on the front end when they do check-in and so they are aware of it ahead of time," warned Russell. The American Cancer Society says, the decision not only helps the smokers but those staying in the hotels. Carnal believes this is going to be a trend among hotels nationwide. "Second hand smoke causes 80% as much damage as actually smoking a cigarette. The point is the fewer places people are actually able to smoke and expose non-smokers to smoke the better off we`ll be," commented Dorothy Carnal, American Cancer Society. The changes aren`t just the "no smoking signs" and the staff informing people of the new policy. The carpet, mattresses and wallpaper has also been replaced but if you are a smoker, there is an option. "We want to make sure we do take care of the ones that do smoke, so we do have an outdoor area that is designated for smokers only."