New York City bans Electronic Cigarette!
Electronic cigarette in New York City would soon be banned as the authorities are geared up to do implement this bill. The NYC council voted 43-8 to add the water vapor cigarette in a 2002 law prohibiting the use of smokeless cigarettes from the places where real cigarettes are banned. This bill has been passed in the final city council meeting held recently. With this law, New York City became having some of the toughest anti smoking legislations in the country. This approval of the bill by council members has been seen as a victory for health officials who welcomed the bill whole heartedly.
Jeff Seyler, American Lung Association of the Northeast said that, “We’re grateful that New Yorkers will not be exposed to potentially unsafe secondhand emissions from vapor cigarettes.” This ban is only step behind. Once New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed the bill, it will be effective in four months. Addressing the press conference, city council speaker Christine Quinn termed the Smoke Free Air Act “one of our greatest accomplishments.”
But many vapor cigs makers as well as users have found this decision baseless. One of the makers of electronic cigarettes said that since this law has nothing to do with science it has no foundation. “The reason which authorities have given is not sensible”, says many e cigarette users as well as makers. Gregory Conley, a legislative consultant and e cigarette advocate who was sitting in City Council chambers when the bill passed, said the devices should be treated as markedly different from traditional cigarettes. “Banning something because it looks like smoking is not rational health policy,” he said. This battery operated device has e cig cartridges which contains e liquid and produces vapor.
There are many more people who think alike. No scientific studies or findings have concluded that electronic cigarette is harmful. The studies are going on and it is in progress. Even the FDA has yet not given its verdict. Implementing such rules without any scientific back up has been considered baseless by many users and makers.