Battle heating up over smoking in Atlantic Metropolis casinos | Well being and Health

The Higher Atlantic Metropolis Chamber mentioned efforts to ban smoking within the casinos ought to be dropped, warning it will price jobs and harm native companies.

“A smoking ban would have a destructive affect on the on line casino business, leading to vital job losses (and) decline in revenues, which in flip would harm native companies and distributors that depend on the business for his or her financial livelihood,” mentioned Michael Chait, the group’s president. “We acknowledge the issues of on line casino workers who help a smoking ban, however we additionally should understand that 1000’s of workers and their households might be impacted by misplaced jobs if a ban is handed.”

In response to that assertion, Atlantic Prevention Sources, which offers with substance abuse in and close to Atlantic Metropolis, resigned from the chamber on Thursday.

“We extremely worth our membership within the Higher A.C. Chamber, however as a public well being company we can’t proceed to be members of a corporation that locations monetary pursuits above well being,” its govt director, Bob Zlotnick, mentioned. “As a member of the area people, we might stand to be impacted by any loss in native enterprise, however we can’t in good conscience put a price ticket on the well being of our households and neighbors.”

Practically a 3rd of your complete New Jersey state Senate has signed on as sponsors or cosponsors of a invoice pending within the state Legislature that might shut a loophole within the state’s indoor smoking legislation particularly exempting casinos.

“New Jersey shouldn’t permit any employee to be subjected to cancer-causing secondhand smoke whereas on the job,” mentioned Sen. Andrew Zwicker, a central New Jersey Democrat.

“Smoking inside ought to not be acceptable in casinos,” added Sen. Jon Bramnick, a Republican from northern New Jersey. “Workers have the fitting to breathe whereas working with out the dangerous results of tobacco smoke.”

Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy has mentioned he’ll signal the invoice if it passes.

However the on line casino business opposes a smoking ban, arguing it’ll price jobs and income whereas the casinos are nonetheless struggling to get well from losses inflicted by the coronavirus pandemic.

The On line casino Affiliation of New Jersey, the commerce group representing the Atlantic Metropolis casinos, commissioned a report final month warning of widespread layoffs and income declines if smoking had been banned within the 9 casinos.

These claims had been loudly rejected by many on line casino staff and smoking opponents.

“The Chamber is spewing extra of the identical scare techniques which might be going over like a lead balloon with legislators in Trenton, particularly contemplating that each state legislator representing Atlantic Metropolis helps this invoice,” mentioned Cynthia Hallett, president of Individuals For Non-People who smoke’ Rights. “If their members are involved about in-person visitation, they need to discuss to the on line casino operators concerning the incessant promotion of on-line playing that cannibalizes Atlantic Metropolis’s land-based enterprise.”

Chait, president of the enterprise group, mentioned the success of the web playing business has created misperceptions concerning the general well being of Atlantic Metropolis’s casinos.

“The reality is employment and visitation are at 20-year lows,” he mentioned. “Land-based gaming revenues are down from 2019, and haven’t returned to pre-pandemic ranges. This isn’t the time to enact coverage adjustments that might inflict yet one more blow to an already-struggling business and the workers, households and companies that it helps.”

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