“We’re not here to debate whether cigarettes are healthy,” said Christina Renna, president of the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey. The casino industry opposes a smoking ban, saying it would lose customers and revenue if smoking were banned while still being allowed in casinos in nearby states. Currently, smoking is permitted on 25% of a casino floor in Atlantic City. That measure was written specifically to exempt casinos from bans on smoking indoors. The bill would close a loophole in the state’s 2006 indoor smoking law. Shreveport, Louisiana ended a smoking ban in its casinos in June. Chris Moyer, a spokesperson for the Atlantic City casino workers who want a smoking ban, said similar movements are under way in Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Kansas, Michigan and Nevada, and noted Connecticut’s casinos are already smoke-free. It’s a hot issue in other states as well. Phil Murphy has repeatedly said he will sign it if passed. Support for a casino smoking ban is widespread among New Jersey lawmakers, with a bipartisan majority in both chambers, and Democratic Gov. But its president, Mark Giannantonio, said Thursday’s delay proves that “for the first time, people are beginning to realize that the bill, as drafted, will have a significant adverse effect on Atlantic City’s economy.”Ī group representing dealers called the smoking rooms proposal “an absurd idea” that every legislator should reject. The Casino Association of New Jersey did not respond to a request for details on its proposals to lawmakers.

“But it’s extremely important to put health first and that’s what I’m trying to do here.”

“I didn’t sign up to this to start taking people’s livelihoods away,” Madden said. “I feel extremely confident that people will lose their jobs” under a total smoking ban. “There could be a compromise put on the table that could bring the votes. Fred Madden, said some lawmakers want to hear more from the casino industry, which he said has suggested an 18-month phase-in of a smoking ban to enable them to set up enclosed smoking rooms and additional air treatment processes. Vitale said he favors a vote on the bill as originally written, which would ban smoking in the casinos, which is currently allowed on 25% of the casino floor.īut others, including Sen. He apologized to workers who made the 180-mile (290-kilometer) round trip from Atlantic City, promising a vote on the bill “sooner rather than later.” Joseph Vitale, chairman of the Senate health committee, said the measure was one vote short of the number required to move it forward Thursday.

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