Breathe DC and partners testify to DC Council about e-cigarettes
November 22, 2013 – On November 21, Breathe DC joined a group of local smokefree advocates to testify before the DC Council about the dangers of electronic cigarettes or “e-cigarettes” and the importance of regulating their use.
As policymakers across the country are considering how to regulate e-cigarettes within smokefree laws, we urged the DC Council to recognize and understand the known and potential dangers associated with e-cigarettes, including compromised indoor air quality and secondhand vapor exposure which contains carcinogenic chemicals not unlike secondhand smoke.
Smokefree DC notes:
“[E]-cigarettes are prohibited in certain smokefree areas in 12 states. They are Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Kansas, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota and Utah. Three of these – North Dakota, New Jersey and Utah – prohibit e-cigarette use in workplaces, restaurants and bars. In the other states, e-cigarettes are prohibited in a range of other facilities, such as schools and Department of Corrections facilities. In addition, the use of e-cigarettes is restricted in 100 cities and counties throughout the country.”
We encourage all local residents to stand with us to advocate for healthy smoke free and vapor-free environments.