Casino representatives in Pennsylvania and New Jersey say that the crowds are beginning to return to gaming locations which have been under tight restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Anti-smoking advocates and we nonsmokers are pleading with casinos to keep their no-smoking policies, enacted because of the pandemic, permanent. I returned to an Atlantic City casino in March for the first time in more than a year, and I can’t begin to tell you what a pleasure it was not to be assailed by secondhand smoke and having my clothes reek of tobacco residue.

Some state legislators in New Jersey have notified health advocates in the Garden State that they plan to push legislation to make the no-smoking ban a reality.

In Pennsylvania, Rep. Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny, has introduced House Bill 2298 to ban smoking in casinos, except in designated locations away from the gaming floors.

Frankel is a supporter of the Breathe Free Pennsylvania Coalition, which has been vocal in its advocacy to persuade casino operators and legislators that now is the ideal time for gaming locations to go smoke-free.

Last July, Gov. Tom Wolf and then Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine signed an order requiring mask-wearing outside of a person’s home to prevent the spread of COVID-19. In New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy did the same.

This included casinos where there were bans in both states on eating and drinking on the casino floors.

In pre-pandemic days, Pennsylvania casinos allowed smoking in half of the square footage of their gaming floors, while New Jersey allowed smoking in designated areas throughout the massive casinos. One casino, the Revel, opened completely smoke-free, but was a flop and closed several years later. It has now reopened as the Ocean Casino Resort.

The Breathe Free Pennsylvania Coalition is made up of the American Cancer Society Cancer Network, the American Heart Association, the American Lung Association, Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights and the Kids’ Campaign for Tobacco.

Casinos in both states, including those in our area - Mount Airy in Paradise Township (Monroe County), Wind Creek in Bethlehem and Mohegan Sun in Plains Township (Luzerne County) - continue to operate under capacity restrictions, but the trend clearly indicates that there will be a push to return to pre-pandemic full capacity as soon as possible, even as COVID-19 cases are extremely high again in both states. Rates in Northeastern Pennsylvania are among the highest in the country.

Not unexpectedly, there is significant pushback from casino owners and operators, who contend that banning smoking once the pandemic is deemed under control will lead to fewer customers, job losses and less tax revenue for the states.

Even before the pandemic, 20 states had no-smoking bans in place, and, for the most part, they have succeeded financially. Along with Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Michigan has enacted a temporary ban during the pandemic. In all, about 1,100 casinos nationwide are smoke-free, even pre-pandemic, so to argue that it cannot be done in Pennsylvania and New Jersey is disingenuous.

I don’t understand this reluctance to include casinos among public places that should maintain a smoke-free environment. When Pennsylvania enacted the Clean Indoor Air Act in 2008, which banned smoking in public places and workplaces, the law had exceptions. Among them were casinos, private clubs and cigar bars. The smoking ban could be made permanent with the signing of House Bill 2298, which Frankel is championing

Frankel said the bill is designed to close loopholes in the 2008 law that have put the health and welfare of many Pennsylvania’s casino and hospitality workers at risk from the long-term exposure to secondhand smoke.

When you think about it, the way the law reads now, casino patrons can choose to hunt for a smoke-free table or area, but employees are completely captive, and, as Frankel put it, “Nobody should have to choose between a job and their health.”

The Casino Association of New Jersey, which representing the Atlantic City casinos, said a permanent ban would do irreparable harm. Its statement said, “Banning smoking permanently would have long-term financial implications for the industry and the region. Going completely nonsmoking would place Atlantic City casinos at a competitive disadvantage with other nearby casinos.”

An association spokesman said Atlantic City tried a partial smoking ban in 2008 that lasted less than three weeks. Several casinos said they saw double-digit declines in revenue during that time. The Atlantic City Hilton and Resorts said the smoking ban led them to lose $1 million a month in revenues each.

But that was 13 years ago. Times have changed. I believe the time is just about perfect to make this important change to protect the health of us patrons and casino employees. It might even help smokers puff away less.

By Bruce Frassinelli | tneditor@tnonline.com

The foregoing opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board or Times News LLC.