Atlantic City Casino Employees Waging Ad Campaign Against Smoking

Anti-smoking employees at Atlantic City casinos will launch an advertising campaign in protest of a recent court ruling.

Superior Court Judge Patrick Bartels ruled last Friday against a protest filed by anti-casino employees and representatives, who took issue with New Jersey’s smoking allowance in 25 percent of casino floor space.

The campaign will reportedly feature children reacting to the judge’s decision supporting indoor smoking at Atlantic City casinos.

Responding to the judge’s decision

The anti-smoking workers, many of whom belong to a group called C.E.A.S.E (Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects, said Wednesday that the upcoming ads will target New Jersey districts with lawmakers that can push anti-smoking legislation through the state government.

The United Auto Workers Union, an ally of the anti-smoking legal campaign, said it would leave the state American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) due to its failure to protect the health of casino employees.

"We don't see the need to have to risk our lives anymore to feel like they're making a profit off of it,” said Nicole Vitola, one of the founders of C.E.A.S.E. “I've dealt through two pregnancies, and it was grueling. We still have a lot of pregnant dealers that have to go through the same thing.

"We have a lot of elderly dealers with respiratory problems, heart conditions. We're human beings. We're aging. We're an aging workforce. There's a young workforce that doesn't want to come into this industry, and we've had it."

New Jersey law bans indoor smoking inside all public facilities except for casinos. Although smoking is still limited to 25 percent of the indoor area, secondhand smoke often wafts into the designated non-smoking areas of the facilities.

Possible Senate law change

The topic of smoking inside casinos is one of the most controversial back-and-forths in New Jersey. 

Atlantic City implemented a ban on smoking inside casinos in 2008. However, it was forced to repeal that ruling just two weeks later after local casinos experienced a 20 percent decline in revenue.

The Casino Association of New Jersey commended the judge’s ruling last week and said it would work to find a compromise that protects employees’ health and casinos’ bottom lines.

"Our industry has always been willing to sit down and collaborate to find common ground, but the smoking ban advocates have refused," said Mark Giannantonio, president of the association and of Resorts Casino.

In light of the ruling, casino workers asked Senators to revisit a bill that would ban smoking inside casinos. The bill was released from a Senate committee in January but never faced a vote in front of the entire Senate.

Sen. Joseph Vitale (D-District 19) said the bill will go to a vote soon.