The indoor use of E-Cigarettes in public is now banned in the State of Illinois. On Friday, Governor J.B Pritzker signed a measure that requires E-Cigarette use in public be done only in an outdoor setting. RegionalMediaNews.com reached out to the Henry and Stark County Health Department for their thoughts on the measure:
“The Henry and Stark County Health Departments note, like combustible cigarettes, e-cigarettes contain addictive nicotine in addition to flavorants and other aerosolized components that can damage lungs over time. Secondhand vapor can pose the same risk to people passing by.
Nicotine is proven to be an addictive substance which has negative effects on the developing brain. The majority of E-cigarettes, including flavored ones, contain nicotine. E-cigarettes are the most commonly used tobacco product among youth and are strongly associated with the use of other tobacco products. It is illegal for anyone under 18 to buy or use E-cigarettes.
“A tobacco epidemic continues in our state. We have made great progress, but the surge of use of e-cigarettes has threatened that progress and lured more people toward a deadly addiction,” said Senator Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest), sponsor of the legislation. “Illinoisans should be proud to have passed a measure to ban the use of e-cigarettes indoors.”
“Illinoisans deserve to enjoy public spaces without being exposed unwillingly to secondhand vapor and other electronic cigarettes byproducts. Now, e-cigarettes and vapes will qualify under existing anti-smoking laws, reducing air pollution and making a more accessible, healthy Illinois.”
The Henry and Stark County Health Departments remind local school districts they offer the “Catch My Breath” Anti-Vaping curriculum to local 5-6 grade classes.”
The ban on indoor use of E-Cigarettes came to the Governor’s desk as HB 1540, a bill banning the usage of e-cigarettes in indoor public spaces. The bill adds electronic smoking devices to the 2008 Smoke-Free Illinois Act, which banned smoking in most public spaces in the state. The amended act would now ban electronic smoking devices in any place where combustible smoking is already prohibited.
