In a groundbreaking development in the ongoing battle against smoking in Atlantic City casinos, New Jersey and a powerful union have jointly filed a motion asking a judge to dismiss an anti-smoking lawsuit that seeks to ban smoking in the city’s gaming establishments.
The lawsuit, filed by a group of health advocates and former casino workers, argues that secondhand smoke in Atlantic City’s casinos poses a significant health risk to employees and patrons. It seeks to overturn a state law that allows smoking in designated areas of the casinos.
However, in a surprising move, the state of New Jersey and the UNITE HERE Local 54 union, which represents thousands of casino workers, have come together to challenge the lawsuit. In their motion to dismiss, they argue that the plaintiffs lack standing to bring the case because they cannot prove any specific harm caused by secondhand smoke in the casinos.
“This lawsuit is based on speculation and fear-mongering, not on actual evidence of harm,” said a spokesperson for the union. “Our members work in the casinos every day and we have not seen any increase in health problems related to secondhand smoke. Banning smoking in the casinos would only hurt our workers and the industry as a whole.”
The state of New Jersey has also joined the fight against the lawsuit, citing the economic importance of the casino industry to the region. “Atlantic City’s casinos are a vital source of revenue and employment for the state, and any decision to ban smoking in the casinos would have a significant impact on their ability to compete with other gaming destinations,” a spokesperson for the state said.
The motion to dismiss the lawsuit is set to be heard by a judge in the coming weeks. In the meantime, the debate over smoking in Atlantic City’s casinos rages on, with both sides fiercely defending their positions.
Despite this legal battle, the issue of smoking in Atlantic City’s casinos is likely to remain a contentious one for the foreseeable future. As the debate continues, one thing is clear – the fight for a smoke-free environment in the city’s gaming establishments is far from over.
