History

In 1974 a group of citizens, whose personal experiences convinced them that smoking harms nonsmokers too, founded the grassroots non-profit New Jersey GASP, the Group Against Smoking Pollution. Over the course of 40 years, GASP has been dedicated entirely to tobacco control.

We are one of the world’s oldest and most successful nonsmokers’ organizations, and recognized internationally as a leading expert in emerging trends in tobacco control policy. As we expanded our reach beyond New Jersey’s borders, the GASP acronym changed to Global Advisors on Smokefree Policy in 2009. We serve as a worldwide informational resource to jurisdictions and the public-at-large.

The Tobacco Control Policy and Legal Resource Center of GASP provides technical assistance to hundreds of legislators, policy makers, and citizens each year. GASP’s attorney, Associate Director and Staff are globally recognized as tobacco control experts. GASP is one of the only nonprofit organizations in the state dedicated solely to tobacco control.

The need for our Center became clear in 1990, when East Brunswick passed a cigarette vending machine ban. The Township Council insisted that an addictive, cancer-causing product, illegal to sell to children, should not be dispensed like chewing gum and snack crackers. In response, the tobacco industry challenged East Brunswick in court. Other New Jersey towns that passed an ordinance to control tobacco sales to minors were also sued by the vendors.

New Jersey GASP was an integral part of the legal process, providing information, expert testimony, and public support. New Jersey GASP submitted an amicus curiae brief defending East Brunswick. In 1994, these legal battles were decided by the New Jersey Supreme Court, in favor of East Brunswick.

Soon after this court decision, we assisted hundreds of municipalities with ordinances restricting tobacco sales and marketing to minors, tobacco use by minors, with some towns eliminating smoking in workplaces and/or restaurants. To learn more about GASP projects prior to 2006, visit our Legislative History page. In 2006, New Jersey enacted our comprehensive Smoke-Free Air Act. The casino gaming floors are exempt, as are a few grandfathered smoking lounges and new tobacco retail establishments. See our dedicated webpages on the SFAA and its exemptions.

GASP continues to focus on tobacco control initiatives, especially for smokefree gaming venues, grown out of the casino floor exemption in our state law. In addition, we focus on emerging trends in tobacco control, such as smokefree housing, smokefree cars when children are present, flavored tobacco, hookah smoking, e-cigarettes and other new tobacco products.

Starting in 2009, we are also collaborating on a statewide diabetes and smoking prevention integration project, sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control. In addition, we also plan to serve as a resource on implementation of the new FDA regulations on tobacco, as well as on the new Americans with Disabilities Amendment Act which took effect in January 2009.

Our many successes over forty years include:

• As a member of the CDC Tobacco-Chronic Disease Integration Project (previously the CDC Tobacco-Diabetes Integration Project), GASP partners with New Jersey’s Department of Chronic Disease Prevention and Control Services and the New Jersey Chronic Disease Advisory Council, and is a resource on how smoking and secondhand smoke increase the risk of diabetes onset, and negatively affect diabetes management and control.
• Researched and documented health concerns for e-cigarettes, the use of which were successfully banned in public places with an amendment to the NJ Smokefree Air Act in January, 2010.
• Ongoing work on smokefree multi-unit housing initiatives for public and market rate housing as well as private units.
• Continuing work on legislation protecting children from secondhand smoke in cars and foster homes.
• Working to educate policymakers on the benefit of a statewide policy for 100% smokefree outdoor recreational areas.
• Steering the organization to a more global scope and renaming GASP to Global Advisors on Smokefree Policy in 2009. We serve as an informational resource to jurisdictions and the public-at-large in New Jersey and beyond.
• Continuing support for more than 400 New Jersey municipalities who have enacted ordinances controlling tobacco.
• Serving as a leader in smokefree gaming information. We drafted and presented to the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States (NCLGS) a resolution which passed in January 2009
• Supporting passage of more than a dozen statewide smokefree air laws in New Jersey since the early 1970s. New Jersey was a leader in statewide clean indoor air legislation largely because of New Jersey GASP’s activities.
• Worked with New Jersey municipalities to defend their tobacco-control ordinances.
• Lobbied for the federal airline-smoking ban. New Jersey GASP was cited in the Congressional Record and invited to join Senator Lautenberg in a press conference at Newark Airport when the new legislation went into effect.
• Played a key role in advancing the New Jersey regulation to prohibit tobacco as a prize in charitable games
• Petitioned the New Jersey State Department of Health to require hospitals to be entirely smokefree. This was the first such rule in the nation.
• Participated in obtaining the first court injunction banning smoking at work (Shimp vs. NJ Bell, 1976)