San Diego regulates e-cigs

Aiming to protect people from a potentially dangerous product, San Diego joined several other local cities on Monday in banning the use of electronic cigarettes in all places where conventional smoking is prohibited.

The legislation adopted unanimously by the City Council also regulates how the increasingly popular electronic cigarettes can be sold, requiring special permits for businesses that sell them and prohibiting sales from vending machines.

Use of so-called e-cigarettes, especially by young people, often leads to use of conventional cigarettes or drugs, council members and supporters of the new legislation said.

They also said the makers of e-cigarettes, which are battery-powered and emit vapor instead of smoke, target young people with colorful packaging and by featuring flavors like bubble gum. In addition, they said young people frequently use the devices to smoke marijuana and tobacco without people around them knowing.

A representative from the industry brought a petition to the council containing more than 900 signatures in opposition to legislation regulating the use of e-cigarettes, which is also called “vaping.”

Supporters say the devices often help conventional smokers wean themselves off ordinary cigarettes. They also stress that there’s no medical evidence that e-cigarettes are harmful.

Councilman Scott Sherman said he wrestled with such arguments before eventually deciding to support the new restrictions.

“I’m concerned the science that goes along with this is very new,” he said. “But we should probably err on the side of caution.”

The council agreed to revisit the issue in three years so they can examine additional research at that time.

The Federal Drug Administration is in the process of adopting regulations for electronic cigarettes, but such efforts often take many years.

Councilman Mark Kersey, who spearheaded the city’s efforts on electronic cigarettes, said the new legislation was a “common sense” approach that balances public safety against the need to allow responsible vaping by adults.

“While it may be safer than traditional cigarettes, it’s clearly not good for you in any way,” he said. “You should be able to go to the library and you should be able to go to the movie theater and not have to worry about someone vaping next to you.”

The city joins the county government and the cities of Carlsbad, Oceanside, Vista, El Cajon and La Mesa in regulating e-cigarettes. New York, Chicago, Seattle, Los Angeles and Long Beach have also regulated the devices.

When the new city legislation takes effect this fall, use of e-cigarettes will be prohibited everywhere conventional cigarettes are banned.

That includes beaches, parks, boardwalks, fishing piers, airports, enclosed public spaces, sidewalk cafes and sports venues, such as Qualcomm Stadium and Petco Park.