New Jersey State Activity

GASP keeps you on top of tobacco control news and issues by posting smokefree news stories. GASP was mentioned in or was interviewed for the 2024 stories marked with an asterisk (*) below.

• 12-15-16: *

  Wall Township considers smokefree parks (Caitlyn Bahrenburg, The Coast Star)

• 12-14-16:

  Army Corps dune line affecting beach smoking decision (Christopher Smith, Shore News Today)

• 12-14-16:

  National Report: New Jersey Tied for Last in Protecting Kids from Tobacco (Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, PR Newswire)

• 10-16-16:

  Rutgers Senate hopes to create a ‘smoke-free’ campus (Nicholas Simon, The Daily Targum)

• 10-12-16: *

  Haledon BOH passes law requiring tobacco age 21 (Kristie Cattafi, The Gazette)

• 10-09-16:

  Times of Trenton Editorial Board supports statewide smokefree parks and beaches law (Times of Trenton Editorial Board)

• 10-08-16: *

  Princeton Board of Health requires a license to sell e-cigarettes (reporter Philip Sean Curran, Princeton Packet)

• 10-06-16: *

  Princeton: New rule requires sellers of e-cigarettes to be licensed (Philip Sean Curran, centraljersey.com)

• 09-13-16:

  East Brunswick: Town Council Approves Licensing of “Vape” Shops (Maureen Berzok, TAP into East Brunswick)

• 09-09-16: *

  Bloomingdale Council enacting outdoor smoking ban (Deborah Walsh, NorthJersey.com)

• 07-20-16: *

  Princeton BOH to license retailers that sell e-cigarettes (Phillip Sean Curran, Princeton Packet)

• 06-17-16: *

  NJ Gov. Christie vetoes outdoor rec area smoking ban (John C. Ensslin, NorthJersey.com)

• 05-22-16:

  Highland Park to require a license to sell e-cigarettes (Carly Baldwin, The Patch)

• 05-22-16: *

  NJ Senate Health Committee votes for ban on flavored ecigs (John Ensslin, The Record)

• 03-16-16: *

  Highland Park poised to require retailers get a license if they sell e-cigarettes (New Brunswick Patch, Carly Baldwin)

• 03-10-16:

  Listen to WRNJ Newsline interview GASP about Kick Butts Day (WRNJ Radio, Joyce Estey)

• 03-08-16:

  NJ State Tobacco Control Bills Voted Through Committees (Star-Ledger, Brent Johnson)

• 03-07-16:

  Caldwell bans smoking in its parks (The Progress, Reporter Nancy D’Uva)

• 02-25-16: *

  Why is Christie opposed to a beach smoking ban? (Asbury Park Press, Bob Jordan)

• 02-22-16: *

  *Smokefree parks bill voted through NJ Assembly Tourism Committee (Asbury Park, Associated Press, Brick Shorebeat)

• 02-22-16: *

  Smokefree parks and tobacco 21 bills move forward in NJ Assembly (The Record, John Ensslin)

• 01-19-16:

  Study shows a NJ smoker spends $1.2 million over lifetime related to their smoking (NJ 101.5 reporter Louis Hochman, Wallet Hub reporter Richie Bernardo)

• 01-19-16:

  NJ Gov. Christie vetoes tobacco 21 age of sale bill; signs into law requiring child-resistant nicotine packaging (Star-Ledger, Item of Millburn/Short Hills,)

• 01-19-16: *

  Update: Millburn advocates sounds off as Christie vetoes Tobacco 21 bill (The Item of Millburn & Short Hills)

• 01-19-16: *

  Millburn advocates sound off as Christie faces tobacco bill deadline (The Item of Millburn & Short Hills)

• 01-12-16:

  New Jersey may be second state to raise smoking age to 21 (Ben Finley, NorthJersey.com)

• 01-11-16:

  Gov. Christie gets bill banning tobacco sales to those under 21 (Susan K.Livio, NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

• 01-08-16:

  NJ May Raise Legal Age to Buy Cigarettes (Erin Delmore, NJTV News)

• 01-07-16:

  5 big things N.J. lawmakers are frantically trying to squeeze in (Brent Johnson and Susan K. Livio, NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

• 01-07-16:

  N.J. lawmakers vote to raise age to buy cigarettes from 19 to 21 (Susan K. Livio, NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

• 01-07-16: *

  Tobacco 21 passes NJ Assembly Committee (Wall Street Journal, Reporter Kate King; The Record, John C. Ensslin)

• 01-07-16:

  NJ inches closer to setting legal age for tobacco at 21 (NJ101.5, Kevin McArdle)

• 01-02-16:

  Bill to raise age of sale of tobacco in New Jersey still pending in State Assembly (CBS Philly, David Madden)

• 12-29-15: *

  NJ bill to require child-resistant liquid nicotine packaging awaits Governor’s signature (WMBC-TV, Anchor Mark Fontes)

• 12-20-15:

  NJ could raise smoking age to 21 (Courier-Post, Kim Mulford)

• 12-17-15:

  Egg Harbor Township approves smoking ban (Nicholas Huba, Press of Atlantic City)

• 12-12-15:

  NJ Smoking Age May Be Raised To 21 (South Orange Patch, Eric Kiefer)

• 12-10-15:

  NJ Lawmakers consider boosting the age to sell tobacco to 21 (The Record’s State House Bureau, Reporters Dustin Racioppi and Salvador Rizzo) 

• 12-10-15: *

  Local Bergen County resident’s commitment to Tobacco 21 (Twin-Boro News, Assistant Editor Philip DeVencentis)

• 12-10-15:

  Montclair Bans Head Shops In N-C Zones (Eric Kiefer, Montclair Patch)

• 12-10-15:

  No cigarettes until you’re 21: N.J. lawmakers push bill raising tobacco sales age (Susan K. Livio, NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

• 12-10-15: *

  Should legal age to buy cigarettes in N.J. be raised to 21? (Susan K. Livio, NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

• 12-10-15:

  Assembly Panel Advances Pinkin & Sumter Legislation to Keep Liquid Nicotine out of the Hands of Children (Tapinto Edison)

• 12-08-15:

  New report shows NJ ranks last for funding tobacco control programs (Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids press release)

• 11-20-15:

  Montclair Township Council gives head shops thumbs down and wishes to regulate “Vape Shops” (The Montclair Times, Nicholas Katzban)

• 11-19-15: *

  Hillsdale council says no to tobacco sales change (Pascack Valley Community Life, Katherine Milsop)

• 11-12-15: *

  All Federally-Funded Housing is proposed to go Smokefree (Northjersey.Com, Monsy Alvarado, John Sealsy And Anrew Wyrich; Associated Press) 

• 11-12-15: *

  Wyckoff imposes new smoking, tobacco sales restriction (Wyckoff Suburban News, Rebecca Greene)

• 11-10-15:

  Wycoff Raises Age to Purchase Cigarettes to 21 (Patch News, Daniel Hubbard)

• 11-10-15: *

  Essex County parks go Smoke-free (New Jersey Hills News)

• 10-30-15:

  Delran in Burlington County is poised to make its parks smokefree (Burlington County Times, Todd McHale)

• 10-29-15:

  Paterson raises age of sale for tobacco to age 21 (Paterson Press, Joe Malinconico)

• 10-29-15:

  Wyckoff proposes stubbing nicotine sales to those under 21 (Wyckoff Suburban News, Rebecca Greene)

• 10-29-15:

  Two NJ Stores may be Banned from Selling Tobacco for 30 Days (Star-Ledger, Jessica Mazzola)

• 10-29-15: *

  Hillsdale poised to raise age to 21 to be sold tobacco (Pascack Valley Community Life, Katherine Milsop)

• 10-28-15: *

  Paterson raises the age to be sold tobacco products to 21 (Paterson Times, Jayed Rahman)

• 10-26-15:

  Smoking Now Banned Outside Ocean County Library Entrances ( Brick Shorebeat, Daniel Nee)

• 10-25-15:

  Paterson, N.J Could Increase Tobacco Purchase Age to 21 (Halfwheel, Patrick Lagreid)

• 10-22-15:

  Montclair Times Opinion Editorial supporting smokefree Essex county parks (Montclair Times, Editorial Board)

• 10-22-15:

  Hillsdale proposed tobacco 21 ordinance (The Hillsdale Patch, Daniel Hubbard)

• 10-22-15:

  Belleville Board Of Education votes to designate smoke-free zones at schools (Belleville Times, Roman j. Uschak)

• 10-22-15:

  Hillsdale proposed tobacco 21 ordinance (Wyckoff Patch, Daniel Hubbard)

• 10-20-15:

  Hillsdale N.J looks to raise age of sale for tobacco to 21 (The Record, Andrew Wyrich)

• 10-18-15: *

  Essex County’s new smokefree parks law includes Montclair’s county parks (Montclair Times, Nicholas Katzban)

• 10-16-15:

  Wildwood Vaping Expo Canceled after Violation of Smoke Free Air Act (Press of Atlantic City, Michael Miller)

• 10-16-15: *

  Fort Lee discusses a Tobacco 21 ordinance (Fort Lee Suburbanite, Svetlana Shkolnikova)

• 10-15-15:

  Roselle Park Cigar Lounge allows smoking without a License (Roselle Park News, Saul Qersdyn)

• 10-07-15: *

  Essex County Freeholders make county parks smokefree (Three Earned Media Stories: Star-Ledger, reporter Jessica Mazzola;Tapinto; Baristanet, Georgette Gilmore )

• 09-19-15:

  Opinion: Raising Tobacco Purchasing to 21 Cuts Down on Smokers (Star Ledger,Senator Richard Codey)

• 09-15-15: *

  Hillsdale Considers Tobacco 21 Policy (NorthJersey.com, Andrew Wyrich)

• 09-15-15:

  Harmons and Stop&Shop in Westfield sold tobacco products to minors.(Tapinto.net, Jill D’ambrosio )

• 09-05-15:

  Egg Harbor Township considers smokefree parks policy (Press of Atlantic City, reporter Nicholas Huba)

• 09-04-15:

  Clifton seeks tougher smoking penalties (The Clifton Journal, Tony Gicas)

• 08-27-15: *

  Hillsdale plans to add e-cigarettes to their tobacco 19 ordinance (Pascack Valley Community Life, reporter Lianna Albrizio)

• 08-24-15:

  Cinnaminson Township Parks and Municipal Properties go Smokefree! (Burlington County Times, Todd McHale)

• 08-20-15:

  Harrah’s New Orleans casino revenues are up after smokefree city law (New Orleans Advocate, Richard Thompson)

• 08-12-15: *

  Westwood Passes its Tobacco 21 law

• 08-10-15: *

  Tenafly Passes Tobacco 21 Ordinance

• 07-31-15: *

  Edgewater considers raising age to 21 for tobacco sales (Edgewater View, reporter Svetlana Shkolnikova)

• 07-19-15: *

  Paramus to discuss tobacco 21 sales (The Record, Allison Pries)

• 07-19-15: *

  Health officials bust vendors, promoters at N.J. e-cigarette convention for indoor vaping (The Star- Ledger, Susan K. Livio)

• 07-17-15: *

   Smoking now banned in Trenton’s municipal parks (Star-Ledger, Christina Rojas)

• 07-10-15:

  Hillsdale to raise age of tobacco/cigarette sales to 19

• 07-09-15:

  Westwood Health Dept. Wants Tobacco 21 & Vaping Restrictions (Pascack Valley Community Life, Sarah Nolan)

• 07-09-15:

  Rutherford Proposes Tobacco 21

• 07-08-15:

  Princeton adopts new no-smoking rule (The Daily Princetonian, Jacob Donnelly)

• 07-06-15:

  Westwood expected to go tobacco 21

• 07-02-15:

  The Trentonian columnist concerned about smokefree parks ordinance (Trentonian, La Parker)

• 07-01-15:

  Terrace bans smoking indoors (The Daily Princetonian, Jessica Li)

• 06-30-15:

  Millville’s public housing going smokefree (NJ.com, Don E. woods)

• 06-30-15:

  Trenton City Council reconsiders smoking ban in parks

• 06-27-15:

  Asbury Park Press editorial in favor of no smoking in cars with kids

• 06-23-15:

  More teens using e-cigs and hookahs (Health Day, Mary Elizabeth Dallas)

• 06-17-15: *

  WMBC-TV Interviews GASP on Proposed Ban on Smoking in Cars with Children (TV, WMBC-TV, Reporter Lisa Voyticki)

• 06-16-15: *

  Proposed Bill on Banning Smoking in Cars with Children Passes Senate Committee (TV, NJTV, Reporter Michael Hill)

• 06-15-15:

  NJ Senator Vitale’s bill banning smoking in cars with children passes Senate Health Committee (NJ 101.5)

• 06-15-15:

  NJ Panel OK’s Bill Banning Smoking in Vehicles when Kids Present (6ABC Action News)

• 06-11-15: *

  S2988 would allow smoking in a proposed private research facility (The Star-Ledger, Reporter Matt Friedman)

• 06-11-15: *

  WMBC-TV interviews GASP on raising tobacco age of sale to 21 (TV, WMBC-TV, Reporter Lisa Voyticki)

• 06-04-15: *

  N.J. Senator Vitale introduces bill to ban smoking in cars with children (The Star-Ledger, Reporter Susan Livio)

• 06-02-15:

  N.J. Lawmaker Proposes Ban on Smoking with Children in Car

• 06-02-15: *

  N.J. Drivers Who Smoke With Kids In Car Could Face Fines (The Star-Ledger, Reporter Susan Livio)

• 06-02-15: *

  Bill Introduced in New Jersey State Senate Would Ban Smoking in Cars with Children (TV, ABCTV, Reporter Michelle Charlesworth)

• 05-27-15:

  Final Vote for Belleville Smoking Ban Pushed Back to June 9 (Belleville Patch, Eric Kiefer)

• 05-25-15:

  Teen use of E-cigs up dramatically, according to the CDC

• 04-25-15:

  Cigarette litter is #2 type of debris picked up at annual NJ beach sweeps

• 04-23-15:

  NJ Governor Christie at Cedar Grove Town Hall on why he vetoed the statewide smokefree parks bill

• 04-16-15:

  CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) releases 2014 National Youth Tobacco Survey results

• 04-16-15:

  Drew University Senior Kathleen O’Neill wins 2nd place at NJ DEP Mapping Contest

• 04-06-15:

  April 6 -12, 2015 is “Public Health Week” in New Jersey!

• 04-02-15: *

  N.J. Marketplace Insurers Don’t Deliver Full Suite of Anti-Smoking Drugs (NJ Spotlight, Reporter Andrew Kitchenman)

• 04-02-15:

  State Department of Labor reaches decision on County employee’s lawsuit

• 03-12-15:

  NJ Health Commissioner issues press release on e-nicotine poisoning

• 01-22-15:

  American Lung Association’s tobacco report card on NJ

• 12-30-14:

  NY Hedge fund earns $100 million payout from NJ tobacco bond bailout

• 12-22-14:

  NJ Must Do Better on Tobacco Prevention Efforts (Star Ledger Opinion)

• 12-15-14:

  Former Assemblywoman Quigley calls for taxing E-cigs

• 11-13-14:

  NJ Seeks Chewing Tobacco Ban in Schools

• 09-11-14:

  Christie Vetoes Smoking Ban For NJ Beaches, Parks (Newsclips, Editorials, Letters To Editor, Bill Sponsor Statements)

• 08-08-14:

  Asbury Park Press publishes another editorial supporting a statewide smokefree rec areas bill.

• 08-07-14: *

  Fox News reports on N.J. bill to raise the age of tobacco sales to 21 (Fox News)

• 08-07-14:

  Senator Turner Proposes Legislation to Prohibit The Advertising of Products to Minors on Websites Including Cigarettes

• 07-28-14:

  Trentonian Columnist supports NJ statewide 100% smokefree rec areas law.

• 07-15-14:

  Asbury Park Press editorial supports statewide smokefree recreational areas bill including beaches.

• 07-07-14: *

  Get Your Butt Off the Beach: Seaside Smoking Ban Awaits Christie Bloomberg, Reporter Elise Young)

• 07-06-14: *

  Following Montclair: State Legislature passes smoking ban (The Montclair Times, Reporter Andrew Segedin)

• 07-01-14:

  New Jersey smoking age could be raised to 21(The Washington Post)

• 06-30-14:

  NJ Senate passes bill to raise age of tobacco sales from 19 to 21

• 06-26-14: *

  N.J. Legislature Passes Bill that Limited Smoking on N.J. Parks and Beaches (1 Earned Media The Star-Ledger, Reporter Susan Livio; 3 Non-Earned Media)

• 06-17-14:

  Should NJ Raise its smoking age to 21? (USA Today)

• 06-09-14: *

  N.J. State Legislature Debates Raising Age of Sale to 21(NJ Spotlight, Reporter Andrew Kitchenman)

• 06-02-14: *

  GASP invited to Jersey City Mayor Fulop’s press conference on smokefree parks

• 05-02-14: *

  Fort Lee officials kick-off non-smoking health drive

• 04-24-14:

  Capital Quickies Reports on Asw. Vainieri Huttle’s Press Conference on Smokefree Parks

• 12-13-13: *

  New Jersey ranks LAST for state spending on tobacco control programs

• 12-10-13: *

  Study: New Jersey Ranks Last in Funding Anti-Smoking Programs

• 02-22-13:

  Latinos and other minority groups at risk if recent funding declines not reversed (National Latino Tobacco Control Network)

• 12-15-11:

  New Jersey listed as one of five worst states in helping residents quit tobacco

• 06-01-10: Action

  CDC study shows tobacco control programs work to reduce tobacco use: Don’t end NJ’s

• 03-18-10: Action

  NJ Governor Christie plans to END state’s tobacco control program

• 12-09-09:

  National Report shows NJ falls short in investing tobacco revenues in tobacco control and prevention efforts

• 05-14-09: Action

  Do not cut state funding of NJ’s Tobacco Control Program