Hello and welcome! My name is Vincent Rennich and I am a life long resident of Somers Point, New Jersey. I have been married for more than 25 years and have two children. I have worked as a casino table games supervisor for the past quarter century.

Two years ago, something happened that changed my life forever. While driving to work, I was hit head on by a full size van. Both vehicles were totaled in the crash and I was rushed to the hospital. Shortly thereafter, a radiologist noticed something unusual on my x-rays and CT scans.

After further consultations, it was determined that I had lung cancer. Having never smoked cigarettes or used any tobacco products, this came as quite a shock. It seemed pretty clear that this was the result of being exposed to secondhand smoke. If I did not have this car accident, I might never have known about the cancer until it was too late. My surgeon told me I would have been dead in 4 months to a year. By the time symptoms are presented, he said, it is usually too late.

In September of 2005, I had the top right lobe of my lung removed. I was extremely fortunate to have caught this in the early stages.

Through fate or divine intervention, I feel that it is my calling, if you will, to have smoking removed from the casino floor. My goal is to have a smoke-free environment for my many friends and co-workers and the thousands of men and women that work on the casino floor. We all deserve the same rights that are afforded to everyone else in the state of New Jersey. Casino workers and patrons should not be put in harms way by the deadly effects of secondhand smoke. I know in my heart it is wrong and I do believe unconstitutional to say which group of people can or cannot be protected.

This is not an economic issue. It is a health issue. I understand that revenue is the main concern of the casino industry. However, we can no longer ignore the overwhelming medical evidence on the dangers of secondhand smoke. The safety, health and welfare of dedicated casino employees and their families have to be the number one priority.

I and tens of thousands of my colleagues have been in harms way far too long. We shouldn't have to choose between our health and our jobs. Please help me rid our workplace of this hazard. If you believe casino workers are not second class citizens and deserve the same rights and protection that all other New Jersey workers receive, please join me! Also, please pass this web site to everyone you care about and who cares about you and your health.

My sincere and heartfelt thanks to everyone for your support and well wishes.

Sincerely,
Vinny Rennich