As support increases in the New Jersey legislature for a measure that would close the loophole for Atlantic City casinos that currently defers them from a statewide indoor smoking ban, anti-smoking advocates are accusing Hard Rock Atlantic City of trying to dissuade its employees from speaking out to the media on the issue.
Numerous media reports have quoted Atlantic City casino employees who say their health is at risk from secondhand smoke due to the casinos’ continued policy of allowing smoking on portions of each floor. Last week, the news outlet Politico obtained an internal memo from Hard Rock management stating that employees must obtain prior authorization before speaking to the media in their capacity as Hard Rock employees.
“Only authorized and approved team members are permitted to represent the property in the media,” the policy said, according to Politico. “This includes radio call-ins, TV-interviews, and/or comments to newspaper and magazine writers.”
The memo made no reference to the smoking issue, but advocates accused Hard Rock management of issuing the communication in response to the smoking controversy.
New Jersey Assembly bill 2151, which would end the casino exception to the state’s Clean Indoor Air act and ban smoking on the floor, has collected 33 co-sponsors to date. A companion bipartisan bill in the state Senate has 16 co-sponsors. Governor Phil Murphy has said he will sign the measure if it reaches his desk.
The Atlantic City Casino Association, which represents the resort’s casino operators, has consistently opposed banning smoking on the floors, claiming it will severely hurt business, putting them at a competitive disadvantage to casinos in nearby states that allow smoking. However, research has effectively questioned that position.
“A growing bipartisan coalition in Trenton strongly supports legislation to protect casino workers and make casinos smoke-free indoors,” said Cynthia Hallett, president and CEO of Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights. “Legislators know that it is unacceptable to continue the outdated business practice of knowingly subjecting workers to dangerous secondhand smoke. It’s time to take the next step and hold hearings on this legislation in both the Senate and Assembly Health Committees.”
