Children of Atlantic City Casino Workers Unite Against Secondhand Smoke

Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects (CEASE), a group that fights for smoke-free workplaces in Atlantic City’s casinos, has started a new ad campaign targeting New Jersey lawmakers. The campaign called “Kids of CEASE,” shows children of casino workers who worry about their parents’ health because of long-term exposure to secondhand smoke. The ads first appeared on YouTube, following a recent court decision that kept the exception allowing indoor smoking on casino floors even though people are still trying to close this loophole.

Children of Casino Workers Share Their Fears About Secondhand Smoke

The ads highlight how secondhand smoke affects families. One video features Ayana, granddaughter of CEASE co-founder Lamont White. She talks about her worries about her grandfather’s health. White works at Borgata casino where smoking is allowed. Ayana explains how this impacts their family. She says her grandfather often will not hug her after work because his clothes smell of smoke. 

Another video shows Nathan, whose parents both work in casinos. He expresses concern for his pregnant mother’s health as she keeps working in a smoky environment. These personal stories aim to show the real immediate risks casino workers and their families face every day.

The ad campaign kicked off after the New Jersey Superior Court threw out a lawsuit challenging the casino smoking exception’s legality. The United Auto Workers (UAW) union and CEASE backed the lawsuit claiming workers’ rights to a safe, smoke-free workplace were under threat. But the judge decided the state’s current smoking law, which lets smoking happen on up to 25% of casino floors, did not violate constitutional rights. Even with this loss, CEASE plans to keep pushing for new laws to ban smoking in New Jersey’s casinos.

Children’s Voices Amplify CEASE’s Push to Close Indoor Smoking Loophole

CEASE’s campaign aims to push important lawmakers, including assemblyman Bill Moen, to act on a bill that would close the indoor smoking loophole for casinos. Even though Moen sponsors the bill with support from both parties, it has not come up for a vote in the Assembly committee he leads. People speaking up for the cause, like Lamont White, say passing this bill is essential to keep workers like him healthy, as many have already gotten sick from breathing in smoke for years.

At the same time, casinos keep saying that a smoking ban could lead to big job and money losses. Some labor unions, like Unite Here Local 54, agree with this. However, CEASE and its backers say that workers’ health matters more than money problems. As more people join the cause, CEASE hopes that hearing from kids affected by smoking will push lawmakers to close the smoking loophole.