PROVIDENCE — As they tell it, a typical workday at one of Rhode Island's two smoke-filled casinos ends with the following:
Headaches. Itchy eyes. Chronic coughing. Persistent sinus and respiratory infections. Stinky clothing and a persistent, data-driven fear of dying from lung cancer.
About two dozen employees at Bally's Twin River in Lincoln and Bally's Tiverton Casino gathered at the State House again on Thursday to plead with lawmakers to repeal the "loophole" that allows smoking at the two casinos, despite Rhode Island having a smoke-free workplace law.
In 2022, outspoken smoke-free casino advocate Vanessa Baker disclosed she was "newly diagnosed with COPD and...back on medication for respiratory issues clearly caused by exposure to secondhand smoke."
Currently on medical leave from her job as a table games dealer at Bally's Tiverton casino, the 50-something Baker said Thursday: she asked to be reassigned to the non-smoking area at Bally's Lincoln casino so she could return to work and was told: there's a line ahead of her.
"Are casino workers less valuable than every other employee in the state?" asked Rep. Teresa Tanzi, the lead sponsor again this year of a House bill to close the loophole. "It's absolutely not right."
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