Visitors to Las Vegas are familiar, if not necessarily happy, with the “canvassers” on the Strip. You know them as the sometimes aggressive promoters of adult services. Most of these men and women are illegal immigrants, and identification checks are routine. They are paid a little over four dollars an hour, which lets them afford basic necessities, an opportunity not always available in Mexico.
It is a common misconception that these canvassers are promoting prostitutes. The women advertised are outcall entertainment who travel to hotel rooms and residences to perform. Prostitution is only legal in Nevada’s licensed brothels, and canvassers are arrested if they are found with materials advertising prostitution. The companies that hire the canvassers are the same companies that coordinate their female entertainers. Unfortunately, it is a highly lucrative business, both for the companies and the women, and it looks like the canvassers won’t stop any time soon.
Also on the side of these advertisers is the law: Although they are often cited as nuisances, The American Civil Liberties Union considers them protected by the First Amendment as the Strip is public property. In 2006, city ordinances were passed that tried to restrict these pushy advertising practices because they drove tourists away, but in 2009, a judge overturned these laws on the grounds of free speech. This hasn’t stopped the casinos and many other businesses from complaining though.
The most frequently cited complaints about canvassers and these companies are the subject material of the cards and the resulting litter. Aggressive canvassers hand cards to many people, but most recipients drop these cards almost immediately. Opponents of the practice say that the canvassers should be responsible for the trash, but harsher litter laws would more likely affect the tourists who drop the cards. So far, police can just focus on making sure that walkways are clear, the flow of pedestrians is unimpeded and that the canvassers stay away from overly crowded areas like bus stops.
The best course of action, if you run into these groups, is to avoid them. Though many will try to force cards on you, they will be respectful and will not try to touch you or berate you. If you find yourself with some cards, enjoy them as a distinctly Las Vegas artifact and try to hold on to them until you can find a trash can.
Sources:
http://www.lvrj.com/news/41554597.html
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2005/Apr-10-Sun-2005/living/25911566.html
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