Proposed N.J. Smoking Ban Includes Casinos

[mcscajun]

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: March 14, 2005

Filed at 10:40 p.m. ET

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) -- Gamblers would not be allowed to smoke on Atlantic City casino floors or inside fraternal organizations under a measure passed Monday by a New Jersey Senate committee.

Lawmakers voted 7-0 for the measure, which also covers restaurants, bars and offices.

(snip)

If the ban in New Jersey is passed, the state would join New York, Massachusetts, California and a handful of others that prohibit smoking in indoor public places.

The proposal now heads to the full Senate.


http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-BRF-NJ-Smoking-Ban.html?oref=login

[THUNDER HANDS]

1. i doubt this will happen

I've been to Atlantic City many times. If there's three things you'll find there its

(a) gamblers
(b) drinkers
(c) smokers

And not in that particular order, either.

[mcscajun]

2. The ban will not be limited to the casinos.

The article indicates it will apply to all public places; bars, restaurants, etc.

It will pass as it has in adjoining states.

[SoCalDem]

3. and then the smokers will just go elsewhere, as we did in CA

At least out here the weather is great, so we just eat at restaurants with patios, and we eat out about half as much. We were never much for bars, but we have not been inside one since Jan 1998 when the ban went into effect here (I think it was '98)..

It's perfectly legal to ban us, and it's OK with me to just not go there :)

People will just return to Vegas, if their local casinos ban smoking..

Out here the Indian casinos have jurisdiction, and of course they sell and permit smokers in their facilities..

Until it's banned completely, there should be a choice, but then we know that "choice of any kind" is an endangered species :)

[mcscajun]

4. Hard-core smokers who gamble AND have the money may go elsewhere

But in nearly every state where smoking bans have been enacted, there has been proven to be no drop in patronage of bars and restaurants. It's just an industry scare tactic to say that would happen.

[NJGeek]

5. Bad writing

So, gamblers cannot smoke inside fraternal organizations? That sucks for all the poker playing Masons out there.

[piece sine]

6. the Vegas boys are jumpin' for joy

a smoking ban in casinos will kill Jersey casinos. Kill them dead! Ironically, when was the last time anyone saw an anti-smoking zealot playin' the black jack table??

[Mithras61]

7. Regarding the headline: Why would I want to smoke a casino?

:)