What a drag.
New Jersey lawmakers are finally moving to outlaw smoking in Atlantic City casinos — a move welcomed by some tobacco-weary workers but blasted by others who fear a ban could scare off gamers and lead to massive staff layoffs.
A long-delayed bill — approved Monday by the state Senate’s health committee — comes nearly 20 years after the gambling dens were specifically exempted by a statewide indoor smoking ban.
It’s only the bill’s first step to become law in the Garden State — but the progress elated the casino workers who support the measure.
“We feel like we cracked the egg,” said Nicola Vitola, a Borgata dealer and a leader of the movement to chuck smokers outside.
Should the state Senate pass the bill in a full vote of members, an identical measure would have to pass the General Assembly before Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy can sign it into law — which he has said he will do.
But not everyone is thrilled about the prospect of smokers racing for the door whenever they want to light one up in the city’s nine casinos.
That includes Donna DeCaprio, president of Local 54 of the Unite Here union that represents bartenders, cocktail servers, room cleaners and others.
In an online discussion with Democratic state Sen. Joseph Vitale, DeCaprio said the bill could lead to as many as 3,000 casino workers getting laid off.
Barring smoking in the Jersey Shore venues — while neighboring Pennsylvania continues to allow it — could even lead to the closure of as many as three casinos, she warned.
“In South Jersey, there are no replacement jobs of this caliber,” she said. “A total ban is going to result in an economic catastrophe for Atlantic City, the region and the state.”
Christina Renna, president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey, echoed this when she implied that the layoffs that might happen as a result of the bill could be as harmful as cigarette smoke.
That friction seeped onto the streets of the state Capitol in Trenton, where a confrontation between casino workers — some of whom supported the ban while others opposed it — led to a sidewalk screaming match before they were separated.
Casinos were specifically left out of New Jersey’s 2006 indoor smoking ban, which booted smokers out of bars, restaurants, music venues and other places cigarette-lovers often congregate.
But it’s still allowed on 25% of the Atlantic City casino floor. And smoke wafts its way into most gambling areas, regardless of where it’s supposed to stay.
A ban could lead to more customers frequenting the strip of casinos along the Atlantic — Cynthia Hallett, president and CEO of Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights, said polling indicates more people would head to the city if smoking were prohibited.
Still, the casino industry also opposes the ban, and claims it’s working to develop better ventilation systems and enclosed smoking rooms staffed by employees who volunteer to work there.
In a statement, the Casino Association of New Jersey said it wants “to find a meaningful compromise that will address the concerns of our employees without jeopardizing jobs and benefits to some of our most vulnerable citizens.”
That might be little comfort for Vitola, who said she was assigned to work smoking tables while she was pregnant.
“Dealers are mere inches from players blowing smoke in our faces,” she said.
With Post wires