CEASE Asks NJ Gov. Murphy to Stop Casino Smoking Before His Departure

Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects (CEASE), a union seeking to put an end to New Jersey’s indoor smoking, has asked Governor Phil Murphy to take care of the New Jerseyans one last time and end the loophole that allows smoking inside the Atlantic City casinos.

According to CEASE, this inflection point would prove whether Murphy truly cared about the people of the state or not.

Governor Murphy Is Term-Limited

For context, Phil Murphy will not be able to run for reelection since he is term-limited, meaning that his seat will be up for grabs. Several candidates have already joined the fray, each of them hoping to be elected as the next governor of The Garden State.

As Murphy prepares to deliver his final State of the State address, CEASE representatives wondered whether he would make a final push to cement himself as a protector of New Jersey’s casino workers.

CEASE noted that the Senate will convene for a voting session just hours before Gov. Murphy’s speech. The organization noted that this could be used as an opportunity to take a decisive step toward protecting casino patrons and employees from the ill effects of secondhand smoke.

Casinos Have Been Reluctant to Make Changes

CEASE admitted that the outgoing governor has long championed health and safety in New Jersey. However, he has also not done enough about the controversial smoking loophole.

For context, the loophole has allowed casinos to offer indoor smoking in select parts of their properties. While this may sound fair on paper, this exception has hurt casino workers who have been forced to endure secondhand smoke for hours a day. Some claim that this has caused their overall well-being to deteriorate and have accused casino companies of prioritizing profits over their employees’ safety.

Casino companies, on the other hand, have long insisted that a smoke ban would hurt their profits and force them to lay off many workers.

CEASE has disputed some of the operators’ arguments and has furthermore argued that a ban on indoor smoking would align New Jersey’s policies with modern public health standards.

CEASE Asks Murphy to Finish His Tenure as Champion of Workers

While Murphy has previously supported CEASE’s efforts and has even promised that he would sign a bill if one reaches his desk, he has not yet taken decisive action, the organization argued. CEASE urged him to ensure his legacy by making one last push for the people of New Jersey:

This is his moment to prove he stands with working people, and not just by saying he will sign a bill if it hits his desk, but by explicitly calling for the NJ legislature to pass this legislation. With the Senate set to meet and momentum building around this critical issue, the timing couldn’t be more perfect for bold leadership.

CEASE statement

CEASE added that if Murphy fails to act now, he will let down thousands of workers, allowing them to remain exposed to secondhand smoke.