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Smoking ban would affect AC casinos

ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey – As reported by the Press of Atlantic City: "City Council introduced a measure to ban smoking in local workplaces at its Wednesday night meeting.

"It passed 9-0, sponsored by all council members.

"…The measure is designed to close a loophole in state anti-smoking legislation that took effect in April. The law banned smoking in most workplaces, but exemptions allowed smoking to continue in tobacconists, cigar bars and on the resort's casino floors.

"Legislation to close the casino exemption has lingered in committee since January.

"Casino workers, people from smokefreecasinos.com, health and anti-smoking groups and the American Heart Association supported the ban at the meeting. The people who waved banners and fans supporting council's move applauded Councilmen Bruce Ward and Gene Robinson, the ordinance's main proponents, as they spoke.

"…The law provides four exceptions:

"- Private homes, except when used as a daycare or other healthcare facility.

"- Designated hotel smoking rooms. But they cannot be more than 20 percent of the total rooms and must be contiguous.

"- Nursing home rooms where all residents are smokers and have made a written request to allow smoking. The smoke cannot contaminate other rooms.

"- Private clubs with no employees, except when used by the general public. The exemption does not apply to clubs that are created to get around this law.

"…Wednesday's ordinance was the latest move to close the casino floor loophole. At its Sept. 20 meeting, council unanimously passed a resolution supporting the bill proposed by Assemblyman Jim Whelan (D-Atlantic)…"

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