In theory, a statewide smoking ban in public places means public places are completely smoke-free.
Atlantic City apparently didn't get the message. On Jan. 24, bowing to pressure from casino owners, the city council gave preliminary approval to a proposal to allow smoking on 25 percent of casino floors, even though New Jersey passed a statewide smoking ban last year.
If this ordinance passes the council's final vote on Feb. 7, it will be a major step backward for New Jersey. Despite pleadings from casino workers and health advocates, the council gave in to casino owner concerns that a total smoking ban in the casinos would significantly hurt their business, according to an article in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Having just passed its own total smoking ban, Philadelphia must avoid making Atlantic City's mistake. Smoking bans are a reflection of the realization that allowing smoking in public places - like casinos - puts the health of those who work in and frequent those places at risk from secondhand smoke.
Allowing a partial ban in certain places sends a message of half-hearted commitment to the health of citizens. Philadelphia's casinos should be smoke-free from the start, and be well-planned enough to make whether or not smoking is allowed a non-entity when it comes to a casino's success.
The Atlantic City City Council owes it to its citizens to reject the partial ban in casinos. Philadelphia owes it to its citizens to not even consider it in the first place.
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