Posted on: December 5, 2024, at 09:05h.
Last updated on: December 5, 2024, at 09:05h.
Indoor casino smoking is allowed in 15 states with commercial gambling facilities. In 2025, state lawmakers nationwide may consider making gaming workplaces smoke-free.
CEASE — Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects — is spearheading the movement to make all commercial casinos free of secondhand smoke. CEASE began in New Jersey after indoor smoking resumed at Atlantic City’s nine casinos post-pandemic.
The grassroots coalition has gained support from the American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation (ANRF), a nonprofit dedicated to combating the harmful effects of secondhand smoke. CEASE and ANRF are urging lawmakers in states with casino smoking to enact laws for smoke-free environments.
Although no state has altered its casino smoking regulations yet, advocates believe that 2025 could be the year for change.
State in Focus
CEASE is concentrating on states where opinions are shifting towards smoking bans. Active CEASE chapters can be found in New Jersey, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Virginia.
New Jersey, Kansas, and Missouri are most likely to introduce tobacco-related bills next year. Legislation is anticipated in these states to remove exemptions for smoking in gaming areas within clean indoor air laws.
The risks of secondhand smoke have long been documented. The CDC asserts that there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke, and the only effective way to protect workers and gamblers is by having 100% smoke-free casinos. Designated smoking areas and air filtration systems are largely inadequate, as per a 2023 study by the national public health agency.
Last month, the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General reported that although cigarette smoking has reached record-low levels among youth and adults over the past decade, more than 19,000 deaths are attributable to secondhand smoke exposure annually. Nearly half a million people die in the U.S. each year due to cigarette smoking.
Casino workers have been waiting too long for the same protections as other employees. Many colleagues now require inhalers, oxygen tanks, or have been diagnosed with cancer after working in smoke-filled casinos,” said Pete Naccarelli, co-founder of CEASE.
The Surgeon General’s report highlighted that people spending extended periods in smoking environments are most affected by secondhand smoke, with casino workers being at a heightened risk.
Smoking Prevalence
The casino industry argues that smoking bans harm business and lead to job cuts. The impact of such bans depends on the source of the research and the commissioning party.
Although smoking rates are decreasing, tobacco products remain the leading cause of preventable illness and death, according to the CDC.