New Jersey Highlights

Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death and disease in the United States and in New Jersey. To address this enormous toll, the American Lung Association calls for the following actions to be taken by New Jersey’s elected officials:

2023 continued to see significant progress towards legislation making New Jersey’s casinos smokefree. Both the Assembly and the Senate held hearings on the issue and saw significant testimony in support. Additionally, grassroots support for tobacco control policies across the state of New Jersey has grown. Casino workers have become extremely well organized and have become a powerful force in the legislature and in the media. The Lung Association was disappointed that the legislation was not brought up for a legislative vote. While the Lung Association did not see any significant legislative or regulatory progress on items passing regarding smokefree, tobacco tax, tobacco control funding and prohibiting the sale of flavored tobacco products, there continues to be expanded support on these topics.

New Jersey’s casino workers have not only organized in New Jersey but have taken their efforts nationwide. They are working with casino workers in other states to train them and work together to help those workers organize themselves. We hope to see the movement continue to grow.

New Jersey’s tobacco control program remains underfunded but has seen increased investments in the program in recent years. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that New Jersey spend $103 million on its tobacco control program. In the 2023-24 state budget, the program was funded at $8.3 million – the Lung Association calls for increasing funding to $15 million per year as a next step towards the CDC-recommended level.

The Lung Association urges decisionmakers in New Jersey to take the necessary steps to reduce the death and disease caused by tobacco-use and exposure to secondhand smoke, and to pass legislation to include casinos in New Jersey’s otherwise strong protections from secondhand smoke in public places and workplaces in 2024.