This Saturday, New Jersey became the 11th state to ban smoking in many indoor places, including bars, restaurants and office buildings. The ban does not include private homes, cars, tobacco shops and the gambling floors of the state's 12 casinos in Atlantic City; though smoking is forbidden in the casinos' common areas. Nevertheless, President of the State Senate expects the ban to expand to the casino floors within a year. Local businesses fear for their income because they cannot compete with casinos' free drinks, free food and flashy entertainment.
Casino administrators feel that the law enforcement to the gambling floors will bring disastrous financial consequences. A study conducted for the New Jersey Casino Association projected that within the first two years, state tax revenues from gambling would decline by as much as 93 million dollars and nearly 3400 employees will loose their job. While there might be many disappointed smokers in New Jersey, this Saturday was definitely a good day for public health. The cancer society would continue to work with state legislators to eliminate smoking in the casinos.
