West Milford Before leaving office New Jersey Acting Governor Richard Codey hopes to persuade the New Jersey Senate to pass a bill banning smoking from all indoor public areas such as bars and restaurants. A similar ban already exists in New York State. Codey plans to have the bill enacted before the next session of the state assembly convenes in mid January. A bill to introduce a smoking ban was first introduced in New Jersey in 2002 in a bipartisan move by State Senator’s John Adler and Thomas Kean Jr. This bill and all other attempts to revive the move have stalled, however, primarily due to the campaigning of Atlantic City casinos. The major gambling institutions claim they would lose millions of dollars in revenue as a result of a smoking ban and as a consequence would pay less tax to the state. The Casino Association claimed recently that as much as $90 million would be lost to New Jersey in taxes if a widespread smoking ban was implemented. Codey has not let those statistics hinder him. He included a compromise to his plan that excludes casino floors from the ban, but not casino restaurants and bars. Equal rights for bar, restaurant and casino employees as well as the fear of a significant health risk to those who inhale second hand smoke, whether they be workers or patrons, are at the root of a smoking ban. Second hand smoke, also known as passive smoking, is the involuntary inhalation of smoke from burning tobacco products. As long ago as 1993 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency concluded that there was sufficient evidence that passive smoking caused cancer. The California Environmental Protection Agency carried out a study of second hand smoke in 1997 and claims that approximately 3,000 non-smokers die from lung cancer and 35,000 non-smokers die from heart disease each year as a result of inhaling other people’s tobacco smoke. Despite the alarming statistics local bar owners and workers voiced their opposition to a smoking ban. Bartender Kathy Baum who works at the Village Square Inn, off Route 23, said “I don’t support a ban. I think it would negatively affect our business. I know a lot of people who stay away from New York bars and come to Jersey bars because they can smoke here.” Baum also added that she was not concerned by possible health risks. Tracy Bennett is the owner of Big John’s Pub in Newfoundland and is equally dismissive of the ban, “My business would be greatly affected; at least 90 percent of my customers are smokers.” Bennett expressed her concern about smokers leaving the bar to smoke outside saying “We would need to consider more security for our bar as it would be harder for us to control people coming in and out. We would have no control over who was outside with a drink in their hand.” Bob VanDerhoof is both a bartender and customer at McKeage’s Tavern on Macopin Road and is clear on the outcome a smoking ban would have, “I’d be at home a lot more often, having a drink and smoking rather than going to a bar.” VanDerhoof says his customers are equally unhappy with the proposal. Just a few miles north in Warwick, NY where a smoking ban has been in effect for over two years, there were some calming words for those against the New Jersey proposal. Bartender, Kelly, at Yesterday’s on Main St. said “The bar is more or less the same since the smoking ban. I think there are just less people smoking now as a result.” Codey has said he will attempt to push the latest version of his bill to a senate vote and hope to have it approved prior to the swearing in of Corzine and the new assembly on Jan. 17.