Activities

• GASP provides technical research and assistance to people bothered by secondhand smoke. Our office is a resource for questions on tobacco control legislation from our colleagues and the New Jersey public.
• GASP’s white paper documenting concerns related to electronic-cigarettes was shared with New Jersey health partners, the media, and state and local legislators. On January 11, 2010, New Jersey became the first state in the nation, to ban the use of e-cigarettes in public places and workplaces, and to also ban e-cigarette sales to people 18 years and younger. Late in 2009, the Bergen County Board of Chosen Freeholders passed a resolution to ban the use of e-cigarettes in county buildings and county parks, and the Paramus Board of Health passed an ordinance restricting e-cigarette use in public places and workplaces, both of which found our white paper to be an excellent informational resource.
• Executive Director Blumenfeld presented on hookah smoking concerns at the American Public Health Association conference in Philadelphia in November. She also presented on conditions in casinos. Staff has been active in strategizing with colleagues reviewing Atlantic City’s local ordinances to protect workers and patrons.
• The GASP smokefree multi-unit housing initiative has gained support from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which issued a policy memo in July 2009, strongly encouraging Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) to implement non-smoking policies in some or all of their public housing units. Staff presented at the Governor’s Conference on Housing and Community Development in September 2009. Information was shared with all Community Partners on Tobacco in New Jersey. Staff presented at the NJ Local Boards of Health Association meeting in November 2009. The presentation included information on the NJ Smoke-Free Air Act’s application regarding common space in multi-unit dwellings, along with a review of the local nuisance codes. Two presentations were given in Philadelphia in October and November, 2009 regarding the seepage of secondhand smoke in multi-unit housing and the benefits of a 100% smokefree building. In October, staff presented at the National Mid-Year Conference on Eliminating Childhood Lead Poisoning, Implementing Healthy Homes Programs, and Combating Indoor Environmental Hazards. In November, staff gave a smokefree housing presentation at the American Public Health Association Conference.
• GASP serves as an informational resource for the NJ Department of Health’s Tobacco/Diabetes Integration Project, funded by the Centers for Disease Control. Staff is collaborating with state diabetes partners to increase access and awareness of NJ cessation programs for individuals with diabetes.
• GASP Board President, Dr. Fred Jacobs, filmed a segment for the Steve Adubato Show on cable TV. The show’s focus was funding for the State’s Comprehensive Tobacco Control Program.
• Executive Director Blumenfeld co-chaired legal track sessions for the 2009 National Conference on Tobacco or Health held in Phoenix, AZ in June. She presented on smokefree homes and cars when children are present, smokefree multi-unit housing, and smokefree gaming venues.
• Blumenfeld was invited to speak and moderate at the 14th International Conference on Gambling and Risk Taking, May 2009. She assisted with forming the speaker list for panels on smokefree casinos efforts, and developed a powerpoint presentation on smokefree gaming. She prepped Advisory Board member Stephanie Kip, who presented and moderated at the conference on smokefree gaming venues.
• On January 10, 2009, the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States overwhelmingly passed a resolution to promote and support 100% smokefree gaming and issued a supportive press release. The resolution was offered by NJ GASP, and sponsored by NCLGS’s president, Delaware Representative William Oberle. NJ GASP organized health advocates, patrons and labor unions across the country, to support the resolution, resulting in in-person presentations at 4 NCLGS conferences, and more than 40 letters of support. Interim activities included providing updated smokefree casinos jurisdictions lists, organizing conference calls and agendas for advocates attending/testifying at the NCLGS conferences, coordinating with NCLGS president Rep. Oberle from Delaware, and NCGLS coordinator, Nick Brozean, and preparing handouts on smokefree casinos.
• Executive Director Blumenfeld invited to co-chair the subcommittee on legal issues, for the 2009 National Conference on Tobacco or Health, to set agenda for presentations on updates on litigation and other legal strategies. She participated at strategy summit in DC; selected subcommittee members and created session topics; organized a subcommittee meeting for the legal track to brainstorm and finalize sessions; and parse out session responsibilities to subcommittee members.
• Script consultant on the award winning feature film, The Pack. Served as a producer and script consultant on a live theatrical production (2 week limited run). Providing marketing and fundraising development strategies. Click here for more details about the film.
• Executive Director Blumenfeld was invited to speak at the first Eastern European Gaming Summit, on smokefree gaming trends. She reached out to tobacco control advocates in Bulgaria, to set-up meetings to provide information on smokefree initiatives; created and presented a 50+page power-point presentation at the October conference. The conference was written up in an article by the Global Gaming Business magazine.
• Executive Director Blumenfeld was invited to speak at the 2008 Indoor Air Forum, in Copenhagen, Denmark, on legal issues of secondhand smoke in multi-unit dwellings (e.g. apartments and condominiums). She drafted 40+page power-point presentation that was presented by colleague Bud Offerman, at the August conference in Copenhagen.
• Drafted and provided testimony to Senate and Assembly Budget Committees to support maintaining CTCP funding, and increasing funding, through increased cigarette tax, licensing fees to sell tobacco, etc. Shared with NJ Coalition, issued press release and gave media interviews, and garnered support from former Commissioners of Health. Read GASP’s 2010 suggestions to increase cigarette licensing fees and establish a similar licensing structure for other tobacco products (cigars, little cigars, chew, etc.) both of which can help to generate revenues for a state’s budget.
• Executive Director Blumenfeld authored two articles on marketing smokefree casinos for The Gaming Industry Observer, “Smart operators will find the silver (or platinum) lining of smokefree casinos“, published May 19, 2008, and “As smoke clears, casinos can see path to new profitability“, published July 16, 2007.
• ASH Nonsmokers’ World Conference for Attorneys/Law Students – Blumenfeld participated at June 7-8 conference; presided as judge for student presenters; served as expert panelist on legal issues; provided update on smokefree casinos ordinance in Atlantic City.
• American Cancer Society, Judy Stewart, Michigan. Provided smokefree casinos advertisements, media, for their campaign, to support the Michigan smokefree air bill not exempting casinos.
• Atlantic City activities when the smokefree casinos ordinance was amended: Attended City Council meetings, educated ordinance sponsors and UAW; updated/revised NJ GASP website sections on smokefree casinos (during/after ordinance amendment process); gove media interviews; updated lists of smokefree gaming jurisdictions (North America and global). Reviewed the 2008 visitor survey done by the Atlantic City Visitors and Convention Authority; only 23% of gamblers smoke; nonsmokers spend more than smokers in AC.
• UAW – educated UAW on smokefree casinos issues, coordinated UAW with Atlantic City Smokefree Coalition, to facilitate working cooperatively and strategically on the Atlantic City smokefree casinos initiative; provided comments and thank you’s on AC Dealer’s Forum (UAW website). Provided to UAW survey consultant, Connie Razza, suggestions and strategy for UAW survey questions on secondhand smoke exposure.
• Senator Greenleaf (Pennsylvania) – Provided smokefree casinos updates and contacts to staffer Eric Pauley, re: smokefree air bill.
• Wrote NJ legislative update for Youth Quit2Win newsletter for UMDNJ’s Tobacco Dependence Program in April; provided June 2008 update.
• Spectrum Gaming – provide updates on smokefree casinos jurisdictions to consultants/researchers in gaming industry.
• Executive Director Blumenfeld invited to co-chair the subcommittee on legal issues, for the 2009 National Conference on Tobacco or Health, to set agenda for presentations on updates on litigation and other legal strategies. She participated at strategy summit in DC; selected subcommittee members and created session topics; organized a subcommittee meeting for the legal track to brainstorm and finalize sessions; and parse out session responsibilities to subcommittee members.
• Executive Director Blumenfeld participated in 5-day UMDNJ tobacco cessation certification training; utilizing information to support cessation programming initiatives, and integrate cessation information into public policy tobacco control initiatives.
• Tobacco.org – Referred posting of articles on Atlantic City smokefree casinos ordinance, Senator Lautenberg press releases on smokefree and tobacco-free Hart Building.
• Executive Director Blumenfeld and NJ GASP member Lorraine Kowalski updated and revised the NJICET advocacy module (merged two modules into one), for the Train the Trainers presentation, on October 14.
• Staff updated NJ GASP research papers: Smokefree Vehicles While Children Are Present, with new ordinances and laws, and new research.
• Executive Director Blumenfeld and Associate Director Boorujy coordinated conference calls for three consults, to provide technical assistance from a specialized attorney on smokefree housing issues.
• Website revisions – new home page created; updated Gaming section with Atlantic City smokefree casinos ordinance, Action Alerts, research papers, all new legislation was added, and edited/updated all sections and links.