Our community's newest voice in Trenton is weighing in on one of Atlantic City's most debated issues: smoking in casinos.
Assemblywoman Maureen Rowan, a Democrat representing Atlantic County, introduced legislation this week that would preserve the current smoking policy in our city's casinos while attempting to bridge the divide between competing interests. The move signals her position on an issue that has significant implications for both public health and our local economy.
Rowan's bill is an identical copy of legislation already awaiting action in the state Senate, sponsored by Sens. John Burzichelli, D-Salem, Gloucester, Cumberland, and Michael Testa, R-Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic. The bipartisan Senate measure has been characterized as a compromise between advocates pushing for a complete smoking ban and those concerned about potential economic fallout from such restrictions.
Under the proposed legislation, casinos would continue operating under the current 25% limit—meaning smoking would remain permitted on up to one-quarter of the casino floor. This represents a middle-ground approach that maintains some smoking areas while keeping the majority of gaming space smoke-free.
The smoking debate has long divided our community. Casino workers and health advocates have pushed for years to eliminate smoking entirely, citing health risks from secondhand smoke exposure. Meanwhile, casino operators and some hospitality workers have expressed concerns that a total ban could drive gamblers to competing venues in neighboring states, potentially impacting jobs and tax revenue that support our region.
By introducing the Assembly version of this compromise legislation, Rowan is making clear where she stands as Atlantic City's representative. Her support could prove crucial as the measure moves through the legislative process, given her district's direct stake in the outcome.
The legislation now faces the challenge of gaining traction in both chambers of the state legislature, where the smoking issue has proven contentious in previous sessions. Whether this compromise approach can satisfy both health concerns and economic interests remains to be seen, but it represents an attempt to find common ground on an issue that affects thousands of workers and millions of visitors to our city each year.
