Atlantic City Casino Smoking Ban Effort Adds Key Ally
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Sen. Richard Codey is the longest-tenured state legislator in New Jersey history. He has been governor since 2006 and the state Senate president since 2010. Code has supported a ban on smoking in Atlantic City's casinos. He signed into law the New. Jersey Smoke-Free Air Act in 2006. It prohibited indoor smoking, but not in casinos, except for certain exceptions.
Codey is the eighth state senator to co-sponsor S264, a bill deleting the portion of the old law that includes an exemption for casinos. The primary sponsors of S265 are Democratic Senators Shirley Turner and Joseph Vitale. Sen. Vince Polistina, who represents the Atlantic City area, also has signed on. Nicole Vitola, co leader of Casino Employees Against Smoking’s Effects, applauds the latest bill sponsorship.
Codey signed the smoking-ban bill into law in his final week in office in 2006. The bill also raised the minimum age to buy cigarettes from 18 to 19. South Jersey lawmakers had concerns about the impact on the Atlantic City casino industry.
The leading opponent of the casino smoking ban bill is the Casino Association of New Jersey. The association's president is Joe Lupo, president of Hard Rock casino. Lupos says that a ban would hurt the industry and the region.
