Cambridge MA Restricts Vaping

[WhiteHighlights]

The People's Republic of Cambridge (as those of us who live in the area are want to call it) is at it again: Cambridge increases tobacco purchase age to 21; bans e-cigs from restaurants - News - Cambridge Chronicle & Tab - Cambridge, MA

Vice Mayor Dennis Benzan requested that unfenced tot lots be added to a list of playgrounds where smoking is prohibited, banning smoking from all tot lots, and Councilor Leland Cheung filed an amendment to ban the use of e-cigarettes in restaurants.

Under the new law, which attempts to regulate nicotine-delivery products (NDP), such as electronic cigarettes, smoking in hotels, inns, motels and bed-and-breakfast establishments is prohibited, as well as outdoor seating areas adjacent to bars and restaurants.

Amendments also ban the sale of NDP and tobacco in pharmacies, cigarette vending machines, commercial roll-your-own machines, and tobacco products that are typically used to appeal to younger customers, such as blunt wraps.

The legal age to purchase tobacco or NDP was raised to 21 years old. And establishments that offer water pipes or hookahs in outdoor seating areas were exempted.

The new law also includes restrictions on the sale of flavored tobacco products, which will only be sold by smoke shops or tobacconists, and changes in minimum pricing for single-serve cigars.

Apparently Cambridge Citizens for Smokers Rights have been fighting these amendments, but the Council went regulation happy and just kept adding more to the list. The ordinance is effective June 1st because they wanted time to educate store owners. Wouldn't it have been nice if they'd taken the time to educate themselves on e-cigs?

 

[caramel]

Can we have a new class of Pleasure Delivery Products that includes everything from Soda to Smokes and ban all of them from the beginning? 'Cause right now we're going after them one by one and it will take some time to get to an end. Let's save time and lives.