January 10, 2024, 02:40h.
January 9, 2024, 10:52h.
New Jersey lawmakers are urged to address Atlantic City casino workers’ demand for a smoke-free indoor workplace, as it is expected to impact the New Jersey gambling landscape. The lawmaking schedule for 2024 comprises crucial discussions over an amendment aimed at closing the indoor casino smoking loophole.The crucial issue being faced by the Atlantic City gaming industry is the law’s anticipated consideration of passing an amendment that would close the indoor casino smoking loophole. The state’s 2006 Smoke-free Air Act included an exception for licensed casinos, allowing venues to designate up to 25% of their gaming floor space for indoor smoking — a debate that is expected to dominate the legislative calendar this year.
CEASE, a grassroots organization working to curtail casino smoking, has noted it’s long overdue for casino workers to have a safe place to work free of secondhand smoke. The organization has also expanded its operations to other states like Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Kansas, and Virginia, due to the persistence of casino smoking in these areas. Notably, CEASE recently established a political action committee to support policymakers who are in favor of their cause
CEASE’s efforts emerged after a disappointing outcome in the New Jersey Senate Health, Human Services, and Senior Citizens Committee last month. CEASE expressed frustration over the dramatic reduction in legislative support for the current statute, vowing to continue fighting to protect workers’ health and wellbeing, while presenting strongly‐worded rebuttals against attempts at introducing so-called compromises that continue to endanger their health.