Far be it from us to condone bad habits, but travelling the ski world, it’s fascinating to see which of life’s vices are permitted at some resorts, and which are banned, according to national and regional laws.
Alcohol
OK, drinking alcohol is of course legal almost everywhere, although being drunk on the slopes is also not allowed almost everywhere, which sometimes causes confusion at the après-ski bar.
Drinking affordably can be the “prohibition factor” at many ski resorts, but if you have an alcohol problem, you can buy drink more cheaply than in the UK in Andorra or Bulgaria (or should that be “the countries to avoid are …”). Oddly a couple of resorts in the big four Alpine nations also historically have low prices for booze (along with perfume, cigarettes, etc.) – Livigno in Italy or Samnaun in Switzerland (which you can ski across to from Austria’s Ischgl, but beware the border excise men on patrol) are both duty free.
Illegal-In-The-UK Drugs
“Personal use” of marijuana was legalised in two US states a few years ago – Colorado, home to many of America’s best-known ski resorts, and Washington state, home to the ski area famous for getting the most snow, on average (not last winter), of any resort in the world, Mt Baker.
But you need to be careful if you do intend to light up a joint. Firstly you’re only allowed to possess a small amount for personal use, you normally have to be aged over 21, typically have less than an ounce in your possession and keep in mind that ski resorts have the right to ban dope-smoking folk from their slopes and confiscate lift passes, and most have been vocal in saying that’s exactly what they will do – just as they would for drunk skiers.
There’s also some uncertainty over what happens if you smoke dope on National Forest land, where many of the ski slopes are located, as they come under federal (national US) government control, and at that level, using marijuana remains illegal.
Gambling
Gambling is possible in lots of ski regions around the world, and many famous names have their own casinos. In Austria, Kitzbühel and Seefeld both have classy-looking establishments, while the swish Swiss like to play with their francs in Crans Montana or Davos, and the French have Chamonix and Megève to name but a few. Basically if you think of any historic Alpine ski town, it most likely has a casino.
But they’re not all old. Tremblant in Quebec, Canada, developed a whole new resort sector around its new casino over the last few years; of course Nevada, home of Las Vegas, is famous for its gambling and Heavenly, the Lake Tahoe resort which straddles the border with California, has vast casinos towering up in the middle of the resort a few inches after you cross the border.
Ladies (And Probably Gentlemen) Of The Night
Nevada again. We won’t delve too far into this one but suffice to say that despite various moves to stop it over the decades, prostitution has been legal in Nevada pretty well since the state was created, and probably long before that.
But prostitution isn’t legal in many parts of the state, including along the Californian border nor in most other areas where the desert state’s few ski areas are located.
Smoking (Cigarettes)
With even ski countries famed for their party culture and low-priced alcohol and cigarettes like Andorra and Bulgaria bringing in comprehensive smoking bans in indoor public places (some have gone for outdoor too – Whistler has introduced a ban on its entire 8000+ acres as of next winter), along with most of Europe’s larger ski nations too, it can come as a bit of a surprise to walk into an Austrian café or bar and suddenly find yourself flashing back to the 1980s with cigarette smoke filling the air. Austrian laws are fairly flexible, it seems, with larger restaurants able to allow smoking in a separate area but smaller bars and restaurants – including many in ski resorts – able to choose to continue to allow smoking.
