In a move that will push e-cigarettes outside with regular cigarettes, New York has banned vaping in any public indoor space that already prohibits traditional smoking.
Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a bill [PDF] this week that adds electronic cigarettes to the Clean Indoor Act, citing the potential health risks associated with the products. This means no vaping in restaurants, bars, offices, stores, public transit, hospitals, and on public and private subways, buses, taxis, youth centers, child care facilities, dorms and residence halls on college campuses, and hospitals, among others.
Though some counties already ban vaping in public places, the law will now be consistent throughout New York.
RELATED: Surgeon General: E-Cigarette Use By Young Consumers Is A “Major Public Health Threat”
This has been true in New York City since 2013: The city includes e-cigarettes in its Smoke-Free Air Act: That means no gaping in places where smoking is illegal, like bars, restaurants, offices, parks, and beaches. Retailers also can’t sell e-cigarettes or tobacco products to anyone under 21.
“These products are marketed as a healthier alternative to cigarettes, but the reality is they also carry long-term risks to the health of users and those around them,” Cuomo said in a statement. “This measure closes another dangerous loophole in the law, creating a stronger, healthier New York for all.”
In July, New York also banned vaping and e-cigarettes from public and private school grounds.
by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist
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