Home Politics America Efforts to implement vaping bans in NY State escalate

Efforts to implement vaping bans in NY State escalate

Health organizations and lawmakers in New York State, are launching a stronger effort to ban vaping in public places, where smoking is already prohibited.

Diane Caruana

May 26, 2017

Amongst the health care organizations behind this initiative is the Roswell Park Cancer Institute, and the proposed ban would extend to bars and restaurants, education settings, hospitals, buses, indoor arenas, bingo halls, zoos and job sites.

The effort to implement vaping regulations seems to have gained further momentum following the firing of the U.S. surgeon general and the announcement that the FDA is giving the vaping industry a three month reprieve.

In the recent months, several harsh vaping regulations have popped up around the State. Yet, according to an article published earlier this week on The Buffalo News, this effort seems to have gained further momentum following the firing of the U.S. surgeon general and the announcement by the FDA that it is giving the vaping industry a three month reprieve.

“We want to establish a principle that anybody can use an electronic cigarette, but in those situations where it’s indoors and other people may be disturbed, you may not,’’ said Senate sponsor, Kemp Hannon, who is an influential chairman of the Health Committee.

“The need is somebody who’s trying to have a meal should not be subjected to unwanted vapor,’’ added Hannon. “There are some people who allege it has unwanted chemicals in it, but, basically, it’s also annoying.’’

Does Big Pharma play a role in this?

Michael Frennier, president of the New York State Vapor Association, and others in the vaping industry believe that the pharmaceutical industry has its foot in this. “Every time someone quits smoking, it’s a failed prescription that they won’t write,’’ said Frennier.

“Every time someone quits smoking, it’s a failed prescription that they won’t write.’’

Last March, the Senate and Assembly agreed with Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s proposals to regulate the sales of vapor products, yet when the budget was adopted in April, all new restrictions on e-cigarettes were dropped.

Several entities have now stepped in and are trying to revive the restrictions before lawmakers end their session next month. The focus is on making e-cigarette use compliant with the clean indoor air act that applies to combustible cigarettes.

An unjustified regulation, a two faced monster

Since across the State there are already a number of restrictions in place, new regulations on e-cigarettes are not expected to have such a dramatic effect. Despite this, many public health experts would agree that regulating vaping products in the same way as their combustible counterparts would be detrimental to the millions of vapers that use the products for smoking cessation. Additionally, such a motion conveys the wrong message about the products, that vaping is as dangerous as smoking. In the meantime, studies conducted by reliable sources, confirming that vaping is significantly safer than smoking keep popping up.