Call to Action! New York City Ordinances Would BAN Flavored E-Cigarettes And More -- Int 1020 & Int 1021 (UPDATED -- Action Needed!)
UPDATE (8/7/2013): CASAA and NYC vapers had previously been led to believe that the sponsors of these proposed ordinances were likely to put forward amendments exempting e-cigarettes from NYC's new definition of "tobacco product."
CASAA has just learned that the Health Committee completely disregarded the concerns of vapers. An updated ordinance has leaked to the press and no substantive changes have been made. Indeed, the ordinance is actually worse than it was before, as the sponsors added language that absurdly claims that e-cigarettes are designed to DETER smokers from quitting.
This move comes after a May 2, 2013 meeting of the NYC Committee on Health, during which a representative from the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene stated that the Department had no intention of trying to regulate e-cigarettes.
The next meeting of the Health Committee is scheduled for August 22, 2013, but it is unknown at this time whether they'll be voting on the ordinances.
Immediate action is needed to stop these ordinances from becoming law and harming public health. Please see below on how to help.
Testimony from vapers, including CASAA Legislative Director Gregory Conley, before the Health Committee of the New York City Council
__________________________________________________ __________________
New York City: Ordinances to BAN Flavored E-Cigarettes, Define E-Cigarettes as tobacco Products, Require tobacco Licensing, and BAN the Public Display of E-Cigarettes and Smokeless Tobacco (Int 1020-2013 & Int 1021-2013)
legislative tracking for 1020-2013
legislative tracking for 1021-2013
full text of all ordinances
If enacted,these ordinances would:
New York City Residents: We recommend that in addition to contacting the members of the Health Committee that you also contact your own representative in the New York City Council. Click here to find out who represents you.
__________________________________________________ __________________
NYC Residents: Please Contact the Members of the New York City Health Committee Below
1. Please reject Int 1020-2013 and Int 1021-2013 because it would redefine "tobacco products" under New York City law to include smoke-free electronic cigarettes.
2. Explain that if the New York City Council wishes to regulate e-cigarettes, it should be done through a standalone ordinance. As is, there has been zero media coverage of the fact that these ordinances would ban sales of certain electronic cigarettes. This is an end runaround the legislative process.
3. If you use e-liquid that has a pleasant flavor added (such as fruit, candy, beverage), tell the members of the Health Committee that this has helped you quit smoking and describe how. Further explain that a recent study in the Journal of Adolescent Health could not find a single nonsmoking youth who had tried an electronic cigarette, let alone a flavored electronic cigarette.
4. Explain that the electronic cigarettes are far less harmful than cigarettes, and that many former adult smokers have quit smoking by switching to less harmful alternatives, including products that contain flavors. These ordinances would harm public health by discouraging smokers from switching.
5. Note that e-cigarettes are NOT traditional tobacco products, and that the licensing laws of New York City are not appropriate for the sale of a product like e-cigarettes.
6. Direct them to the CASAA.org website for more information.
__________________________________________________ _______________________
Members of the New York City Health Committee
Comma delimited email list:
jotero@council.nyc.gov, mathieu.eugene@council.nyc.gov, jferreras@council.nyc.gov, helen.foster@council.nyc.gov, joel.rivera@council.nyc.gov, rosie.mendez@council.nyc.gov, drose@council.nyc.gov, vallonejr@council.nyc.gov, jvanbramer@council.nyc.gov, albert.vann@council.nyc.gov, peter.vallonejr@council.nyc.gov
Hon. Maria Del Carmen Arroyo (District 17) (D - Bronx)
718-402-6130
jotero@council.nyc.gov
Hon. Inez E. Dickins (District 9) (D - Manhattan)
212-678-4505
[no e-mail address available -- please call]
Hon. Mathieu Eugene (District 40) (D - Brooklyn)
718-287-8762
Mathieu.eugene@council.nyc.gov
Hon. Julissa Ferreras (District 21) (D - Queens)
718-651-1917
jferreras@council.nyc.gov
Hon. Helen D. Foster (District 16) (D - Bronx)
718-588-7500
helen.foster@council.nyc.gov
Hon. Joel Rivera (District 15) (D - Bronx)
718-842-8100
joel.rivera@council.nyc.gov
Hon. Rosie Mendez (District 2) (D - Manhattan)
212-677-1077
rosie.mendez@council.nyc.gov
Hon. Deborah L. Rose (District 49) (D - Staten Island)
718-556-7370
drose@Council.nyc.gov
Hon. Peter F. Vallone, Jr. (District 22) (D - Queens)
718-274-4500
peter.vallonejr@council.nyc.gov
Hon. James G. Van Bramer (District 26) (D - Queens)
718-383-9566
jvanbramer@council.nyc.gov
Hon. Albert Vann (District 36) (D - Brooklyn)
718-919-0740 or 718-919-0741
albert.vann@council.nyc.gov
UPDATE (8/7/2013): CASAA and NYC vapers had previously been led to believe that the sponsors of these proposed ordinances were likely to put forward amendments exempting e-cigarettes from NYC's new definition of "tobacco product."
CASAA has just learned that the Health Committee completely disregarded the concerns of vapers. An updated ordinance has leaked to the press and no substantive changes have been made. Indeed, the ordinance is actually worse than it was before, as the sponsors added language that absurdly claims that e-cigarettes are designed to DETER smokers from quitting.
This move comes after a May 2, 2013 meeting of the NYC Committee on Health, during which a representative from the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene stated that the Department had no intention of trying to regulate e-cigarettes.
The next meeting of the Health Committee is scheduled for August 22, 2013, but it is unknown at this time whether they'll be voting on the ordinances.
Immediate action is needed to stop these ordinances from becoming law and harming public health. Please see below on how to help.
Testimony from vapers, including CASAA Legislative Director Gregory Conley, before the Health Committee of the New York City Council
__________________________________________________ __________________
New York City: Ordinances to BAN Flavored E-Cigarettes, Define E-Cigarettes as tobacco Products, Require tobacco Licensing, and BAN the Public Display of E-Cigarettes and Smokeless Tobacco (Int 1020-2013 & Int 1021-2013)
legislative tracking for 1020-2013
legislative tracking for 1021-2013
full text of all ordinances
If enacted,these ordinances would:
- Redefine "tobacco products" under New York City law to include e-cigarettes and related components, parts, and accessories (both ordinances)
- Ban the display of e-cigarettes and smokeless tobacco in retail stores (Int 1020-2013)
- BAN the sale of e-cigarettes or e-liquid in flavors other than tobacco, menthol, mint and wintergreen in areas other than an age-restricted "tobacco bar." New York City law prohibits "tobacco bars" that were not open in 2001, and thus even an e-cigarette store in New York City would be prohibited from selling flavored e-cigarettes! (Int 1021-2013)
- Mandate that e-cigarette products and parts, components, and accessories only be sod in their original packaging (Int 1021-2013)
New York City Residents: We recommend that in addition to contacting the members of the Health Committee that you also contact your own representative in the New York City Council. Click here to find out who represents you.
__________________________________________________ __________________
NYC Residents: Please Contact the Members of the New York City Health Committee Below
1. Please reject Int 1020-2013 and Int 1021-2013 because it would redefine "tobacco products" under New York City law to include smoke-free electronic cigarettes.
2. Explain that if the New York City Council wishes to regulate e-cigarettes, it should be done through a standalone ordinance. As is, there has been zero media coverage of the fact that these ordinances would ban sales of certain electronic cigarettes. This is an end runaround the legislative process.
3. If you use e-liquid that has a pleasant flavor added (such as fruit, candy, beverage), tell the members of the Health Committee that this has helped you quit smoking and describe how. Further explain that a recent study in the Journal of Adolescent Health could not find a single nonsmoking youth who had tried an electronic cigarette, let alone a flavored electronic cigarette.
4. Explain that the electronic cigarettes are far less harmful than cigarettes, and that many former adult smokers have quit smoking by switching to less harmful alternatives, including products that contain flavors. These ordinances would harm public health by discouraging smokers from switching.
5. Note that e-cigarettes are NOT traditional tobacco products, and that the licensing laws of New York City are not appropriate for the sale of a product like e-cigarettes.
6. Direct them to the CASAA.org website for more information.
__________________________________________________ _______________________
Members of the New York City Health Committee
Comma delimited email list:
jotero@council.nyc.gov, mathieu.eugene@council.nyc.gov, jferreras@council.nyc.gov, helen.foster@council.nyc.gov, joel.rivera@council.nyc.gov, rosie.mendez@council.nyc.gov, drose@council.nyc.gov, vallonejr@council.nyc.gov, jvanbramer@council.nyc.gov, albert.vann@council.nyc.gov, peter.vallonejr@council.nyc.gov
Hon. Maria Del Carmen Arroyo (District 17) (D - Bronx)
718-402-6130
jotero@council.nyc.gov
Hon. Inez E. Dickins (District 9) (D - Manhattan)
212-678-4505
[no e-mail address available -- please call]
Hon. Mathieu Eugene (District 40) (D - Brooklyn)
718-287-8762
Mathieu.eugene@council.nyc.gov
Hon. Julissa Ferreras (District 21) (D - Queens)
718-651-1917
jferreras@council.nyc.gov
Hon. Helen D. Foster (District 16) (D - Bronx)
718-588-7500
helen.foster@council.nyc.gov
Hon. Joel Rivera (District 15) (D - Bronx)
718-842-8100
joel.rivera@council.nyc.gov
Hon. Rosie Mendez (District 2) (D - Manhattan)
212-677-1077
rosie.mendez@council.nyc.gov
Hon. Deborah L. Rose (District 49) (D - Staten Island)
718-556-7370
drose@Council.nyc.gov
Hon. Peter F. Vallone, Jr. (District 22) (D - Queens)
718-274-4500
peter.vallonejr@council.nyc.gov
Hon. James G. Van Bramer (District 26) (D - Queens)
718-383-9566
jvanbramer@council.nyc.gov
Hon. Albert Vann (District 36) (D - Brooklyn)
718-919-0740 or 718-919-0741
albert.vann@council.nyc.gov
