KINGSTON – Nicotine pollution is becoming
a thing of the past – no ifs, ands, or butts – thanks to a
new law designed to limit second-hand vapor from newfangled electronic
cigarettes, signed by Ulster County Executive Michael Hein on Monday.
Electronic cigarettes are no longer allowed to be consumed on county property.
New York City passed a similar law last year for public places, but until
recently e-cig regulations only banned sale to minors.
“County government moves with the times,” said Hein. “Technology
changes. Clearly, e-cigarettes were not something that was thought of
10 years ago, as an issue we were going to address,” he said.
“It started with an employee that put in a complaint that one of
the people working in the office was smoking an electronic cigarette at
the desk,” said Legislator Jeanette Provenzano.
“I did some research, and found out they’re not as safe as
people thought they were. The vapors they admit are cancer-causing, and
have liquid nicotine,” Provenzano added, noting that some e-cig
ingredients are banned by the governor for minors.
Lawmakers were also joined by County Health Commissioner Dr. Carol Smith,
who supports the measure.
Hein also urged colleagues in the legislature to approve a bill sponsored
by Provenzano, currently stuck five months in committee, which tightens
licensing requirements for tobacco retailers, reducing in-store marketing
exposure to minors. The public hearing is Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the legislative
chambers.
“We want to make Ulster County a healthy place to be,” Provenzano
said. “Well it needs to be for our children too. We’re trying
to prevent them from taking that first step of trying a cigarette.”
Most lifelong smokers start before the age of 18, according to statistical
data.
