Letter to the editor: Casino workers should be protected from smokers

I am writing on behalf of Pennsylvania casino workers who are working in secondhand smoke on a daily basis . I lost my mother in 2015 due to COPD. I am also pushing this cause in her honor to save others from this terrible lung condition.

Casino workers love their jobs and deserve the same smoke-free environment as every other business in the state, yet we’re left out of the Clean Indoor Air Act of 2008. During the pandemic, having fresh, clean air in the casino was a real treat, and many workers and patrons were pleased.

Why was the smoking ban temporary? Wasn’t that a perfect time to make it permanent? Didn’t the pandemic remind us how important health is? Why would we bring back something that everyone knows is hazardous to our health after the world experienced a pandemic?

Casino workers deserve to work in a pleasant and healthy environment permanently. We shouldn’t have to choose between our health and a paycheck. Our job is to entertain our casino patrons with a smile; however, some workers continue to work in masks to protect themselves from the smoke, and their smiles are hidden. This is depressing and heartbreaking, especially in an entertainment venue where people want to have a good time.

I am asking that people please reach out to their reps and ask them to co-sponsor Rep. Dan Frankel’s Protecting Workers From Secondhand Smoke Act for the health and welfare of casino workers and patrons and the return of many smiles.

Jennifer Rubolino

Robinson

The writer is a table games dealer.