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Non-Smoking Break Over For AC Casinos, Back to Work
ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY --
Smokers breathed deeply from their cigarettes again today in Atlantic City casinos. Although the city council had decided to postpone implementing a smoking ban until next year, the move was made at such a late date that the ban actually went into effect for a month, ending this morning.
The council's decision to slow the law's enactment came from concern for the effect on casino revenues, already a problem in the New Jersey town. Casino operators, including Donald Trump, had warned that loss of patrons who smoke would only escalate economic difficulties for an important source of state taxes.
But some employees joined anti-smoking groups in protesting the reversal of direction. Once the ban began, anecdotal evidence accumulated that business was not affected by the loss of smoking privileges, and demands to keep the law in place were voiced.
Actual reported figures disagree with employee tales, however. Statistics show that, in the first half of the month with smoking allowed, slot revenues were down twelve percent from last year. In the second half of October, once smoking was stopped, slots declined over twenty percent from 2007.
For now, conditions have returned to the old law, which permitted smoking in no more than twenty-five percent of the casino gambling area. But beware, smokers! Someone somewhere is constantly trying to force you to conform to their lifestyle, and they won't rest until you have no alternative.
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