Casino Workers Call on Governor Murphy and Commissioner Baston to Put Words Into Action and Work to End Casino Smoking Loophole
Atlantic City, NJ — Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects (CEASE) is calling for action following a statement from New Jersey Health Commissioner Kaitlan Baston, in which she reaffirmed her unequivocal support for reducing exposure to secondhand smoke for the health of all New Jerseyans. Casino workers are calling on the legislature and Governor Murphy to act immediately to close the casino smoking loophole.
Pete Naccarelli from CEASE issued the following statement:
“We appreciate Commissioner Baston’s acknowledgment that secondhand smoke is a threat to public health. But words alone are not enough. And it’s not enough for Governor Murphy to say that he’ll sign a bill — we need Governor Murphy to work with the legislature to send that bill to his desk.
“When we recently went to court, we hoped that Governor Murphy and Health Commissioner Baston would finally step up and protect our health. But instead, they’ve spent the last six months using funds from taxpayers like us to defend the casino smoking loophole — protecting an outdated business model at the expense of our lives. The disconnect is astounding. If Governor Murphy and Commissioner Baston wanted to, they could drop their opposition to the lawsuit, or work with the legislature to ensure a bill comes to the floor without delay. Our lives — and the lives of our families — depend on it. It’s time for Governor Murphy and Commissioner Baston to show leadership in protecting our lives.”
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Casino Employees Against Smoking (Harmful) Effects (CEASE) is a group of thousands of casino dealers and other frontline gaming workers that formed after indoor smoking returned on July 4, 2021 in Atlantic City, NJ and has expanded to states around the country. CEASE is fighting to permanently remove smoking from our workplaces. For more information, visit ceasesmoking.org.
