In a recent interview with the Press of Atlantic City, New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill did not take a stance on the Atlantic City casino smoking dispute, but she urged lawmakers to come to a conclusion soon and end this years-long debate.
Governor Sherrill Wants Lawmakers to Reach a Conclusion
Sherrill noted that while litigation is ongoing, legislation is what is truly needed. She added that she has heard from workers on both sides of the issue – those who support a smoking ban and those who oppose it due to business concerns. The governor emphasized that the priority should be protecting worker safety while also preserving jobs and supporting continued economic growth.
A grassroots group of casino workers known as Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects (CEASE) has spent years advocating for all nine Atlantic City casinos to go smoke-free. Last year, the coalition even urged gubernatorial candidates, Sherrill being one of them, to back the organization’s efforts to ban smoking inside casinos.
Under the 2006 New Jersey Smoke-Free Air Act, however, casinos were granted an exemption allowing up to 25% of their gaming floors to be designated for smoking. However, this law did not require casino smoking areas to be separated by walls or physical barriers. As a result, secondhand smoke often drifts into areas that are intended to be smoke-free.
What Are the Voices For and Against the Smoking Ban Saying?
CEASE members argue that their state constitutional rights are being violated. They point to a provision in the New Jersey Constitution stating that all individuals are inherently free and independent, with certain inalienable rights, including the right to pursue and obtain safety and happiness. The constitutional argument has popped up in a couple of bills introduced earlier this year, which aim to tackle the issue.
However, CEASE has opposition in the face of Atlantic City casinos, represented in Trenton by the Casino Association of New Jersey, who are pushing to preserve its indoor smoking privileges. The group contends that banning smoking would drive some gamblers to Philadelphia, where most casinos permit cigarettes and cigars at slot machines and table games. Furthermore, with the potential development of three downstate New York casinos on the horizon, the Atlantic City casino lobby argues that this is not the right time to introduce regulations. The lobby argues that totally banning smoking indoors could jeopardize the city’s gaming industry by driving away visitors from Atlantic City venues.
Others, however, argue this will not be the case, and a ban could actually attract more non-smoking visitors. The American Lung Association reports that adult smoking rates declined by 73% between 1965 and 2022, with younger folks seeing less and less tobacco usage.
In a recent interview with the Press of Atlantic City, New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill did not take a stance on the Atlantic City casino smoking dispute, but she urged lawmakers to come to a conclusion soon and end this years-long debate. Governor Sherrill Wants Lawmakers to Reach a Conclusion Sherrill noted that while litigation