SLO finalizes ban on sales of e-cigarettes. Find out when it takes effect
The city and county of San Luis Obispo now each officially have passed bans on the sales of e-cigarettes in their respective jurisdictions.
On Jan. 14, the county Board of Supervisors unanimously passed amendments on two tobacco ordinances, banning electronic cigarettes and expanding its secondhand smoke ordinance to prohibit public smoking in all public areas.
The amended ordinances, which apply to the unincorporated areas of San Luis Obispo County, will go into effect on Feb. 13.
The San Luis Obispo City Council on Tuesday enforced a similar policy on vaping by moving forward with an official ban on sales of all flavored and non-flavored e-cigarettes. The city first started analyzing whether to adopt a new policy in October, formalizing its new law this week.
According to city officials, San Luis Obispo was the first city in the world to successfully ban smoking in all public buildings, including bars and restaurants.
SLO’s new ordinance takes effect May 4, allowing tobacco retailers three months to remove these products from their inventories.
“Members of our community value living in a city that is healthy and safe for everyone, particularly for our youth,” said Ryan Betz, assistant to the city manager, in a statement. “Over the past year, the city has monitored the issue of the sale of electronic cigarettes at the national, state and local levels and we now join more than 55 other cities and counties in California, including the city of Arroyo Grande and the county of San Luis Obispo, who have instituted similar restrictions.”
Electronic smoking devices can be used to deliver an “inhaled dose of nicotine,” according to SLO officials.
“The ordinance also prohibits the sale of flavored vape juices and liquids used in an electronic smoking device, including electronic cigars, electronic cigarillos, electronic pipes, and electronic hookahs,” SLO officials stated in its press release. “The authority to regulate all tobacco products on the market, including e-cigarettes, falls under the (U.S. Federal Drug Administration). To date, no electronic cigarette products have received premarket review by the FDA. “
Arroyo Grande among first SLO County cities to ban vaping
In adopting an e-cigarette ban, San Luis Obispo follows the lead of two other San Luis Obispo County cities.
In November 2019, the Arroyo Grande City Council passed a ban on the sale of all flavored and non-flavored e-cigarette products, with its new law taking effect in March.
Morro Bay initially passed a first reading of new regulation banning sales of e-cigarettes in November 2019, but the city has delayed implementation pending the FDA’s review of e-cigarette legislation.
Much of the talk around the bans focused on vaping’s health impacts to teenagers.
According to a 2018 survey, 22% of 11th graders in San Luis Obispo County reported using e-cigarettes in the past 30 days, with 72% of them reporting that e-cigarettes are easy or very easy to get.
County health officer Penny Borenstein has supported the approval of both county ordinance amendments, calling them a “historic, and unfortunately, necessary action to protect the health of our residents against the continued evolution of smoking.”
“The ordinances will further the health and well-being of our community, especially youth, by limiting tobacco and nicotine exposure in two important ways: reducing exposure to second hand smoke and reducing availability of e-cigarette devices,” Borenstein said in a statement.
SLO county businesses, parents debate e-cigarettes
In October and on Tuesday, San Luis Obispo’s City Council heard from store operators who currently sell e-cigarettes and other kinds of tobacco. They argued that people can easily order vaping products online, and added they closely watch sales to minors to prevent products from illegally getting into the hands of young people.
“One of my fears for the banning of e-cigarettes and tobacco flavors is that the loss of sales for our community will not decrease its consumers’ population, but only end up translating to online sales,” Fadi Mahmoud, president of The Club smoke shop, wrote in a letter to the San City Council.
But parents and a San Luis Obispo High student expressed concern about the usage of vapes, particularly of flavored products such as watermelon, at October’s meeting.
“My son was coming home each day after watching friends vape and said ‘Why isn’t anyone doing anything?’ ” San Luis Obispo parent Lisa Guy said in public comment. “Why don’t people understand? My request is that you protect our kids. I believe our youth should come in front of everything.”
Another parent said she saw photos of students mocking teachers by capturing photos of peers vaping while teachers’ backs were turned.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is currently reviewing whether to allow e-cigarettes, and government officials said local policies could hinge on what the federal agency decides.
This story was originally published January 22, 2020 at 3:26 PM.
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