NJ Public Well being Fee Backs Smokefree Casinos, Recommends Commr. Washington Take Motion to Shield Employees  – American Nonsmokers’ Rights Basis

Fee Votes to Advocate Formal Decision on Smokefree Casinos to Well being Commissioner

Atlantic Metropolis, NJ — The New Jersey Public Well being Fee took a decisive stand for employee security on Monday, voting to advocate a decision to New Jersey Well being Commissioner Raymond E. Washington that requires pressing motion to deal with the on line casino smoking loophole. Throughout the assembly, the Fee described smokefree casinos as a “easy” public well being subject and spoke about the necessity to defend staff whereas legislative and authorized battles proceed.

Nicole Vitola, longtime Atlantic Metropolis on line casino employee and co-founder of On line casino Staff Towards Smoking Results (CEASE), submitted testimony to the listening to. As a desk video games vendor in a on line casino that allowed smoking, Vitola needed to undergo by way of secondhand smoke publicity whereas pregnant as a result of she had no viable options that may permit her to supply for her household.

“By way of the years, we’ve watched coworkers — individuals we’ve labored beside for many years — turn out to be critically sick and, in some instances, die from ailments linked to extended smoke publicity,” stated Vitola in her testimony. “Pregnant workers and staff with preexisting well being situations are compelled to decide on between defending their well being and maintaining their paycheck and medical insurance. No employee in New Jersey ought to must make that selection, particularly not an anticipating mom.”

The Fee’s draft decision, which will likely be printed within the coming weeks, highlights a number of key factors:

1. The Division of Well being ought to notice that the burden of secondhand smoke falls disproportionately on moderate-to-low revenue staff who can not simply depart their job if they’re impacted by the poisonous air.
2. The Division of Well being ought to use New Jersey state knowledge to point out that there’s proof of smoking-related sickness throughout the on line casino workforce.
3. The Division of Well being ought to use its authority to advertise smokefree environments within the interim whereas laws and a New Jersey Supreme Courtroom case are pending.

CEASE is looking on the Well being Commissioner to undertake the Fee’s suggestions and work in direction of establishing smokefree protections for on line casino staff. Moreover, CEASE is urging Well being Commissioner Washington to drop his workplace’s opposition to their lawsuit in opposition to the state’s on line casino smoking loophole and be part of the decision for the legislature to lastly move the bipartisan payments that may finish this outdated observe as soon as and for all.

See what on line casino staff say about working in secondhand smoke: the Actual Deal