Pennsylvania Rep. Dan Frankel (D-Allegheny) isn’t any fan of smoking exemptions for sure companies like casinos. For a second yr in a row, the Allegheny County Democrat has launched laws within the Harrisburg capital that seeks to finish the smoking loopholes for casinos and different venues presently immune from the state’s indoor smoking regulation.
Cigarettes and cigars inside Pennsylvania casinos are being threatened by just lately launched state laws. State Rep. Dan Frankel (D-Allegheny) thinks the state’s brick-and-mortar casinos must be compelled to go solely smoke-free. (Picture: Shutterstock)
Pennsylvania handed its Clear Indoor Air Act in 2008. The regulation prohibits indoor smoking in most public areas and workplaces. Nevertheless, the regulation signed by Gov. Ed Rendell (D) offers sure exceptions for casinos, cigar lounges, personal golf equipment, and bars the place alcohol generates the majority of the institution’s income.
Frankel doesn’t consider on line casino staff must be subjected to working in poisonous environments the place secondhand smoke is prevalent.
Although Pennsylvania casinos are restricted to permitting indoor smoking on solely half of their gaming flooring, well being consultants say harmful secondhand smoke lingers into the supposed nonsmoking areas.
Pennsylvania is residence to 18 brick-and-mortar casinos. Solely Parx On line casino in Bensalem, north of Philadelphia, and Parx On line casino Shippensburg are totally smoke-free casinos. The remaining have maintained designated smoking sections on their on line casino flooring.
Authorities Motion Wanted
Frankel says nearly all of the casinos appear intent on retaining smoking. And the state Democrat feels that’s unfair to workers and company who don’t mild up.
Pennsylvanians mustn’t have to decide on between their jobs and their well being. Regardless of a rising physique of proof suggesting that smoke-free environments appeal to extra prospects — not fewer — these companies haven’t banned smoking on their very own,” Frankel mentioned in his e-newsletter this week.
Frankel final week filed Home Invoice 1657. The statute seeks to amend the Clear Indoor Air Act by repealing sure provisions permitting casinos, different companies, and golf equipment to allow indoor smoking.
HB 1657 has been directed to the Home Well being Committee, which Frankel chairs. The committee is about to satisfy this Wednesday, Sept. 20, to think about the smoking invoice.
On line casino Staff Rejoice
Frankel’s introduction of the anti-casino smoking invoice was welcomed information for the numerous Pennsylvania on line casino staff searching for a clean-air office. The Pennsylvania chapter of CEASE — On line casino Workers Towards Smoking Results — mentioned the invoice poses the chance to avoid wasting lives.
We thank Rep. Frankel for introducing laws that we all know will save our lives,” mentioned Jen Rubolino, a desk video games seller at Rivers On line casino and the co-lead of CEASE PA. “Too many people have been left to cope with the harmful results of secondhand smoke together with most cancers, bronchial asthma, and coronary heart illness. It’s time to lastly shut the on line casino smoking loophole to guard our well being.”
On line casino smoking stays in close by Atlantic Metropolis and West Virginia. However casinos within the 4 different states that border Pennsylvania — Ohio, Maryland, New York, and Delaware — totally prohibit indoor smoking.
In analysis printed in February, the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention’s Workplace on Smoking & Well being concluded that smoke-free on line casino sections nonetheless have “elevated ranges of Particulate Matter.”
“Regardless of strong proof in regards to the harms of secondhand smoke, tens of hundreds of on line casino workers and tens of thousands and thousands of vacationers are uncovered to excessive ranges of secondhand smoke in Las Vegas casinos yearly,” mentioned Workplace on Smoking & Well being Coverage Workforce Lead Michael Tynan. “The one technique to defend folks from secondhand smoke publicity is to ban smoking in all indoor areas.”
