The New Orleans city council unanimously approved an ordinance making it illegal to smoke in Harrah’s Casino and Fair Grounds racetrack, as well as all enclosed public spaces, bars, restaurants, hotel rooms, outdoor arenas and stadiums, the Fair Grounds race course, bus and streetcar stops. Smoking also would be prohibited in parks during public events sponsored by the city and outdoors within 25 feet of public property and within 5 feet of commercial buildings. Smoking still will be allowed Bourbon Street as well as at cigar lounges, hookah bars and tobacco shops that opened prior to 2015. The new ban will take effect in three months.
Although smoking in restaurants and most workplaces has been illegal in New Orleans since the 2007 Louisiana Smoke-Free Air Act, residents and visitors still had been free to smoke in casinos and bars not attached to restaurants. The ordinance was co-sponsored by Councilwoman LaToya Cantrell and Councilwoman Susan Guidry.
Smoking on Bourbon Street will remain legal, as will lighting up at cigar lounges, hookah bars and tobacco shops that have been in operation before 2015.
While voting for the ban, Councilman Jason Williams said, “The council is focused on violent crime and is not going to let something else add an additional burden to the job police officers are trying to do. To me, with crime being what it is right now, that would be a deal breaker to require the NOPD to be involved in that in any kind of way.”
Violating the ban will cost an bar or restaurant a $100 fine for a first offense, up to $200 for a second offense and up to $500 for a third offense, if they occur within 12 months of the first violation. Smokers will start with a $50 fine, escalating from there.
The Louisiana Restaurant Association and the Louisiana Casino Association argued that a ban in New Orleans would impact casino revenue and tourism spending, causing a loss in local tax dollars. Logan Gaskill, vice president of human resources and community relations at Harrah’s New Orleans Casino, said, “Can this city and this state afford to have less money to do all the things that we need to do?”
He noted a study by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, though not endorsed by the bank, indicating a smoking ban in Illinois casinos caused a 20 percent, or $400 million, drop in casino revenue. A group of Harrah’s employees, including management, table game dealers and housekeepers, said admissions would drop as players go to nearby casinos where smoking is allowed. Several employees said they made a choice to work in the smoking environment. “I know what I signed up for,” said worker Chris Ford.
Smoking also is being addressed in the Iowa legislature. State Senator Herman Quirmbach recently filed a bill that would bring casinos into compliance with the state’s smoking ban. Currently casino floors in the state are exempt, under a 2008 law prohibiting smoking in public places. State Rep. Guy Vander Linden said although the bill may have some support, the casino industry will launch strong opposition. A spokesman for Governor Terry Branstad said the governor supports the measure and would sign it into law.
More than 500 casinos across the U.S. have smoking bans that are either self-imposed or the result of a local or state law.
