In yet another example of the government thinking it can run people's lives better than they do, New York is now banning the use of electronic cigarettes in public spaces after Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a bill into law this Monday, according to Syracuse.com
The legislation adds e-cigarettes to the Clean Indoor Air Act, which will ban their use in all of the same places where tobacco smoking is already prohibited, including restaurants, bars, cafes, and other workplaces. The ban is set to take effect within the next 30 days.
While speaking about the new legislation, Cuomo said, "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."
"This measure closes another dangerous loophole in the law, creating a stronger healthier New York for all," he added.
The use of cigars, pipes, and conventional cigarettes were already banned in many public places throughout New York.
At the local level, many counties have already banned e-smoking devices, including e-cigarettes, vaping pens and e-hookahs. At the state level, these devices were already prohibited on school grounds, and about 70 percent of the state's cities have already enacted a similar ban, according to USA Today.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the vaping industry brings in about $2.5 billion per year. Advocates and users claim that they are safer than traditional smoking products, with many people claiming that it helped them quit smoking tobacco.
Despite that, the New York State Health Department warns that these devices carry their own risks, saying they're still highly addictive, contribute to pollution, and include chemicals like formaldehyde and cadmium.
The ban passed 62-0 with bipartisan support. Republican Sen. Kemp Hannon from Garden City said, "E-cigarettes often contain toxic chemicals in addition to nicotine, something bystanders should not be forced to breathe."
"With recent reports showing their use among minors increasing, New York must continue to work to regulate these devices in a common sense manner," Hannon added.
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(Cover photo: TBEC Review)