A former New Jersey legislator who authored the state's Smoke-Free Air Act is advocating for the removal of the casino smoking exemption that's been in place for nearly two decades.

Loretta Weinberg, who served as Senate majority leader and represented Bergen County until 2022, wrote the original legislation that banned indoor smoking in most public spaces. However, to secure enough votes for passage in 2006, lawmakers had to exclude casinos from the smoking restrictions.

In a recent Star-Ledger op-ed, Weinberg expressed regret over the casino exemption, stating she "never imagined that nearly two decades later, casino workers and patrons would still be subjected to poisonous secondhand smoke."

The current law allows casinos with at least 150 slot machines or 10 table games to designate indoor smoking areas. While Unite Here Local 54, representing non-gaming workers, opposes a smoking ban citing potential job losses, table game dealers' unions support it.

Weinberg revealed that the tobacco industry used fear tactics to manipulate unions and hospitality groups into opposing the original smoking ban. She cited a recent Surgeon General report exposing how the industry led workers to "fight against their own right to breathe clean air."

New legislation to eliminate the casino smoking loophole is expected to be considered in Trenton next year. Senator Joe Vitale and other lawmakers continue pushing for casino workers' protection, with Weinberg asking, "How many more workers have to suffer, get sick, or die before we act?"

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