You Can No Longer Vape On A New York Street Corner

The vaping boom is about to go bust in the Big Apple.

Walk down a street in New York — well, any major city in America, really — and you will no doubt see fellow citizens puffing on e-cigarettes. The battery-operated, smokeless, pen-like devices have become ubiquitous not just for tobacco smokers, but for cannabis tokers as well. Earlier this week, NY Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo signed a bill  banning vape use in public spaces.

“These products are marketed as a healthier alternative to cigarettes, but the reality is they also carry long-term risks to the health of users and those around them,” Gov. Cuomo said. “This measure closes another dangerous loophole in the law, creating a stronger, healthier New York for all.”

• Related Story: Everything You Need To Know About Vaping Marijuana

Beginning November 22 vaping will be outlawed in restaurants, bars, offices and parks, among other common areas, the New York Times reports. The city of New York banned vaping four years ago.

New York joins a growing list of states that have banned indoor. California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oregon, Utah and Vermont all have similar laws.

• Click here to learn about the vaping laws in your state. 

The American Cancer Society and the American Lung Association have supported these bans, citing public health issues. But one group, Vaper Rights, believes this is government overreach and promotes smoking, which is considerably more harmful than vaping. The organization believes:

• Reasonable restrictions on vaping in schools and other places designated for children are appropriate, but complete public place vaping bans are too extreme.
• Vaping should be allowed in outdoor public places, like beaches and parks.
• Business owners know best how to address the preferences of their customers. They should be the ones deciding if vaping is allowed in the restaurants, stores, bars or businesses they own.

Health officials in Great Britain found that e-cigarettes are 95 percent less harmful than smoked tobacco cigarettes.

• Related Story: Vape Sales Increase 400% In California

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the vaping industry is valued at $2.5 billion a year. Last year, the surgeon general called vaping products a “major health concern.”

“A sufficient body of evidence justifies actions taken now to prevent and reduce the use of e-cigarettes and exposure to secondhand aerosol from e-cigarettes, particularly among youth and young adults. Most important, many health risks are already known, and sufficient information exists to take action to minimize potential harms. The evidence is most compelling for nicotine.”