Arab: Council To Add E-Cigarettes to City''s Tobacco Policy

Source from:  The Arab Tribune 01/14/2015

An addendum to Arab's ordinance regarding tobacco use at city facilities is being drafted by city attorneys.

The addendum would prohibit e-cigarettes and vaporizers anywhere that traditional cigarettes or tobacco are banned at city facilities, such as the recreation center.

Mayor Bob Joslin said he's had requests from residents about the matter after some have been "smoking" the e-cigarettes and vaporizers inside the Arab Recreation Center during youth basketball games.

The council discussed the matter at length Monday night.

"The sky's the limit as far as what the council wishes to do," city attorney Rodney Edmondson said. "You can be as restrictive as you want. Some other cities are more restrictive with e-cigarettes than they are with regular tobacco, but most are the same."

"It can be as simple as adding e-cigarettes to the existing policy that deals with smoking and other tobacco products, or you can make it as restrictive as you want," he continued.

Councilman Brian Bishop, who is the chief financial officer for Boaz City Schools, said the school board there adopted an addendum that just added e-cigarettes and vaporizers.

"It basically bans anything that dispenses nicotine," Bishop said.

Councilman Johnny Hart said he doesn't want to be too restrictive.

"Some people use these devices to help them quit smoking," he said.

Hart also said he would not support anything that would dictate what business owners could do.

Joslin told Hart the ordinance would not affect anything but public property and suggested the council should simply add e-cigarettes to the existing ordinance concerning the use of tobacco products in city facilities.

Assistant Police Chief Shane Washburn, a former smoker, said some of the concern is the unknown of exactly what is being emitted from e-cigarettes, but the main concern is violating one's personal space in a closed area.

"We have a few complaints about it," Joslin said. "Mostly people don't like the smell and the fact that they are using them in enclosed spaces."

Instead of smoke, users inhale and exhale a vapor that contains nicotine. Most of the brands claim to be odorless, but people have complained of the odor and the sight of people "smoking" inside the rec center, he said.

As it is, the city doesn't have a policy that prohibits the devices.

Park and recreation director Steve Hallman said officials at ballgames have had to ask people not to use the devices inside the gym.

"They have complied, but they haven't liked it," he said.

"It's easy to talk about it, but if you don't smoke or you've never had the habit…" Hart said. "I just don't want us to tell people they can't use these and that causes them to go back to smoking cigarettes."

Councilman Ronny Shumate suggested the council adopt a simple addendum that "adds e-cigarettes to the existing policy, and be done with the matter."

Edmondson said he will have a draft addendum prepared soon. Enditem