TRENTON – Senator John H. Adler today praised a Senate panel for releasing his bill, S-1089, to ban smoking in Atlantic City casinos.
“This is truly a last gasp for public smoking,” said Senator Adler, D-Cherry Hill. “It’s time for casinos to stop rolling the dice with people’s lives.”
Senator Adler last year was the prime sponsor of the landmark law known as the Smoke Free Air Act which banned smoking in bars, restaurants and most other workplaces.
“Casino workers shouldn’t be forced to choose between their health and having a job to support their families,” Senator Adler said. “New Jersey has an opportunity with this bill to make it healthier for casino employees in their workplaces.”
Senator Adler has long been an advocate for banning smoking from public places including work environments. He said he fully expected opposition from the casino interests in the same way he was opposed by the tobacco lobby in the past.
“Fortunately, our efforts to provide a smoke free workplace have been enhanced by recent studies about the deadly impact of second-hand smoke,” Senator Adler said.
The bill was approved unanimously by the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee and forwarded to the full Senate. It would add casinos and simulcasting facilities as sites covered by Senator Adler’s previous law. Violators could face fines up to $1,000.