This General Assembly banned smoking in most workplaces in 2008, when almost 21 percent of adults in America smoked. Almost overnight, the smoking ban improved the public health, protecting workers and customers from a long list of illnesses and substantially cutting the number of habitual smokers in Pennsylvania.

Not all Pennsylvanian workers got to take part in the good news story of the 2008 legislation, however, because the new law included a long list of loopholes that allow places like casinos, hotels and some bars to continue to expose their employees to toxic smoke to this day.

Pennsylvanians should not have to choose between their jobs and their health. That’s why I will be introducing legislation to close loopholes that threaten the health of Pennsylvania workers.

A growing body of evidence suggests that this legislation is not just good for health, it’s also good for business.
 

• Parx Casino Pennsylvania’s gaming revenue leader, voluntarily went smoke-free after the COVID-19 pandemic. According to COO Marc Oppenheimer, the smoking policy has dropped employee healthcare costs, improved morale and brought in new customers.
• Research on trends in the casino business and consumer attitudes indicates that the conventional wisdom that smoking bans cause economic harm is severely outdated and unsupported by contemporary evidence.

My legislation would eliminate loopholes that leave Pennsylvanian workers exposed to toxic smoke, expand the definition of smoking to include e-cigarettes, and give localities the ability to enact smoke-free ordinances that are more protective than state law.

If we cannot count on private businesses to do the right thing even when it’s the financially smart thing, then it’s time for political leaders to step in and insist on the protection of the health of our constituents.