Tobacco.org

• Despite smoking ban in NJ casinos, Pa. casinos not budging 

What happens in Atlantic City, including a ban on smoking inside casinos, may stay there.

Pennsylvania casinos that have actively opposed a statewide ban on smoking at their properties said Thursday they are not budging from their stance, regardless of a pending law in New Jersey's gambling mecca.

With lobbyists and legislators dug in on both sides of the debate in Pennsylvania, it remained unclear whether a smoking ban in Atlantic City will change minds here.

"I guess it has the potential to," said Rep. Ron Miller, R-York, one of six legislators on a House-Senate conference committee that is tasked with crafting a compromise bill. "The question comes down to whether we can do a total ban in casinos and get the votes in both houses."

Progress on an indoor smoking ban in Pennsylvania has been stuck since July, when the Senate rejected a tougher ban approved by the House.

Jump to full article »