Pa. smoking ban takes effect in under 2 weeks

The law has many points of confusion.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The clock is ticking down on smokers who want to light up in bars, restaurants and other public places across Pennsylvania.

The state Legislature approved a statewide smoking ban in June. The law takes effect in less than two weeks, 90 days after it was signed by Gov. Ed Rendell.

The law bans cigarette, cigar and pipe smoking in restaurants, office buildings, schools, sports arenas, theaters and bus and train stations. It allows smoking in some bars and taverns, portions of casino floors, private clubs and elsewhere.

The complicated exceptions, however, have left some people unsure where the ban applies.

“It’s a very complex law,” said Judy Ochs, the director of the Health Department’s Division of Tobacco Prevention and Control. “I would say that we’ve seen a level of confusion that we expected given the complexities.”

At Harrisburg International Airport, for instance, smoking lounges are fully enclosed and have separate ventilation systems. Airport officials read the law and saw no mention of airports, so they decided they can continue to allow smoking there. But Ochs said the airport is a public place and is not on the list of exceptions where smoking will be permitted.

“If they order us to close it, that might be what we have to do, but it’s something we’re confused about,” airport spokesman Scott Miller said.

Another point of confusion is allowing smoking in taverns that sell little, if any, food.

Angelo Karagiannis, who owns Zembie’s Bar & Restaurant in Harrisburg, said most of the food he sells is take-out, and he does not know if that will allow him to get an exemption.

“I can’t understand this law,” Karagiannis said.

The law allows casinos to permit smoking on 25 percent of the total floor space.

Fred Lipkin, the director of marketing for Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course, said that could help business for Pennsylvania’s fledgling gambling industry since casinos in Atlantic City, N.J., are to forbid smoking starting in October.

“Some people who might make that trip to Atlantic City might change their gaming ways now,” Lipkin said.