Efforts Intensify to Enforce Smoke-Free Casino Environments in Kansas and Missouri
Renewed Push to End Casino Smoking Exemptions
As the new year begins, the organization CEASE is reigniting its campaign aimed at raising public awareness and gathering support to eliminate exemptions that allow smoking on casino gaming floors. Their focus is on protecting casino workers from the well-documented dangers of second-hand smoke, which current laws unfortunately fail to fully address.
Legal Initiatives in Kansas and Missouri Target Casino Smoking
While CEASE previously sought to ban smoking in Atlantic City casinos without major success, the group is now backing specific legislative measures in Kansas and Missouri. In Kansas, House Bill 2252 and Senate Bill 176 propose clear language to make casinos entirely smoke-free. At the same time, Missouri is seeing similar efforts with proposed House Bills 1901 and 1618 aiming to achieve the same objective.
Joseph Hafley, CEASE’s founder, emphasizes the importance of these efforts, highlighting how coordinated legislation across Kansas and Missouri could significantly enhance workplace safety for casino employees and eliminate the existing loophole that permits smoking on gaming floors.
CEASE remains actively engaged through local chapters in both states, rallying public support and lobbying lawmakers to secure passage of the bills. Despite this, the issue remains contentious.
Concerns About Economic Impact Stall Legislation
Opponents of a smoking ban argue that forbidding smoking inside casinos may trigger economic decline, affecting jobs and revenues. They also point out that only certain areas are impacted. However, CEASE counters these claims by underscoring the serious health risks casino workers face due to exposure to second-hand smoke, risks that can be severe and even fatal.
Similar legislative efforts are underway in Pennsylvania, but legislators there hesitate to support a full ban, wary of the potential backlash that could impact the industry’s performance and employment.
Until lawmakers prioritize health data over economic fears, the practice of exposing non-smokers to second-hand smoke in casinos, despite existing laws, is likely to continue.
