AC looking to expand smoking ban on casino floors

Star Ledger ^ | April 9, 2008

[Eric Blair 2084]

Smoking would be banned on the gambling floor of all 11 of Atlantic City's casinos under a measure introduced this evening, but smokers would still be able to light up in smoking lounges away from the tables and slot machines.

The City Council introduced an ordinance extending a partial smoking ban it approved last spring to the entire casino floor. It's up for a final vote in two weeks and would take effect Oct. 15.

More than a year after the city tried and failed to ban all smoking in casinos, the issue still smolders in the community.

Casino workers packed City Hall to support the ban, many holding "no smoking" signs. Smokers have protested the proposed ban.

A proposed total smoking ban last year crumbled under strong opposition from the casinos, which claimed the measure could cost them 20 percent of their revenue and mean the loss of as many as 3,400 jobs.

A compromise law was enacted in April 2007, restricting smoking to no more than 25 percent of the casino floor. The law required the casinos to build walled-off, ventilated smoking areas, but gave no deadline for the work to be done. Nearly a year later none have been built.

[Eric Blair 2084]

If anybody is interested, there are actually 2 really fun sub plots to all of this. Just google Atlantic City council, corruption, indictments for a hint at one.

The other is pretty obvious.

[Eric Blair 2084]

Big Brother, Nanny State, Grant Junkie, Bogus Study, Junk Science, Social Engineering, Egalitarian, Central Planning, Sheeple Control, Health Nazi, Socialism, Collectivism

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We the People Sheeple of the United States Nanny State, in Order to form a more perfect Union Socialist Utopia, establish Justice Socially engineer a country of non smoking, physically fit, teetotalers, insure domestic Tranquility Smoking bans in bars, limits on unhealthy food and social drinking, provide for the common defense Universal Healthcare, promote the general Welfare health of the population whether they like it or not, in order to save above mentioned Universal Healthcare entitlement program from bankruptcy, and secure the Blessings of Liberty Dependency to ourselves progressive liberals and our Posterity Hitler Youth who we brainwash through public school education, do ordain decree and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. Nanny State of Liberals

[weegee]

The mob has gone yuppie now???

[Eric Blair 2084]

What do you mean?

[Alberta's Child]

I'm rooting for the government of Atlantic City to be successful on this one. Not that I approve of smoking bans, mind you . . . but there's no way in hell casinos should be exempted from the same statewide smoking ban that every other employer in New Jersey must abide by.

As if the state of New Jersey didn't already have enough problems . . . I believe 2007 marked the first year in history that casino revenues in New Jersey actually declined.

[ichabod1]

Historically, the way casinos have been run has been to utilize every measure possible to keep ‘em at the tables and machines, and keep ‘em gambling. That’s probably why it has become a smokers haven. What good is it to the casinos to have the smokers running off to the smoking lounge every half hour? It makes no sense.

And where do they get the “no more than 25%” figure. If they have 25% and it’s packed and people can’t get on a machine, then they need to allocate more.

I can certainly see why they haven’t sunk money into walled off, ventilated smoking areas. Everybody that follows this issue knows that as soon as businesses dig deep to conform to the law, they change the law again and make the equipment obsolete.

It sucks.

[ichabod1]

I’m smoking a cigarette right now, and I am the furthest from an opponent. But I have to admit that casinos are disgusting when they have all the people huddled together at the machines and people are sparking up and making clouds of smoke that there is no way to direct anywhere that people aren’t. I agree, that’s not good. I agree with giving non-smokers rooms to get away from it. Hell, I might even frequent that part sometimes. But that’s never good enough for the antis. Oh well, when the economy goes to bloody hell maybe people will find other things to worry about.

[elkfersupper]

We now have a "fire emergency" declaration in most of NM which bans open fires and smoking OUTSIDE except on a surfaced road.

Smoking in buildings is still permitted (which buildings are those?) and in automobiles equipped with an ashtray (where are those), except when children (anybody under 18) is in the car.

Just ban the substance already and quit trying to kill it with death by a thousand cuts.

[ninonitti]

Oh well, when the economy goes to bloody hell maybe people will find other things to worry about.

Like how they're going to make up their property tax shortfalls by increasing their tax on cigarettes......

[Eric Blair 2084]

I'm rooting for the government of Atlantic City to be successful on this one. Not that I approve of smoking bans, mind you

I'm with you. The lies and the hypocrisy is what stirs me more than anything. Libs claim to be for the little guy. But if Joe's Bar and Grill in Camden goes out of business because we told him that his life savings is safe and smoker bans are good for business, it's ok.

If the State's revenue is threatened in AC, they acknowledge the truth. It's obvious to anyone with an IQ above 70.

[Eric Blair 2084]

Great point. It’s not an accident that casinos have no clocks and no windows.

Don’t get me wrong, I used to go to AC once a year to make my $500 donation (and that’s what it is). If I was entertained for 5 hours while losing my money to the state and getting free drinks while me and my friends were rolling craps, I considered it an evening well spent.

[Mark]

Short the stock on the casinos and get rich without having to visit the casinos.

[Eric Blair 2084]

That’s the plan. LOL. Instead of fighting Socialism and what we know will be the end result, think like capitalists!

Sort of reminds me of Rhett Butler in Gone With the Wind. Didn’t care who won the war, as long as he got rich. That’s why free markets will beat egalitarian central planning every time.

People are more creative than the Gubmint gives them credit for.

[GOP_Lady]

Well, if the state of Ohio ever gets its first casino (gambling is against the Ohio State Constitution), there would have to be a heated outdoor area only for smoking.

[Eric Blair 2084]

What the casino entrepeneurs know is that if a gambler steps away from the blackjack table for a smoke, he might decide that he has lost enough money to the State and quit.

It’s obvious. We all know it.

Why is everyone so stupid? I’m surrounded by retards :-)

[GOP_Lady]

Oh, most definitely. I’ll salute you with my champagne (with a strawberry, of course) when I’m in Vegas next month. It will so nice being among adults. I’ll ask the slot attendant to stand in front of my machine for 15 minutes and not let anyone cash out while I head outdoors.

[Eric Blair 2084]

I’m convinced that slots were invented so that women can lose money slowly and not bother their husbands while they lose money quickly to the state playing blackjack or craps.

[GOP_Lady]

That might well be true. But, in my case, slots were invented for women to lose money quickly while their husbands play slowly while getting tipsy while giving their wife more money to lose quickly. Note that's three things the husband is responsible for — multi-tasking is not easy, you know. :-)

[Eric Blair 2084]

Good one.

[badgerlandjim]

bump