DC Council outdoor smoking ban bill changed to ban all tobacco and e-cigarette use within 25 feet of parks, trails, bus stops and more

[Bill Godshall]

Back on July 10, the DC Council's Transportation and Environment Committee amended the “Smoking Restriction Amendment Act of 2013” bill in DC (B20-0095) to ban all tobacco and e-cigarette use within 25 feet of bus stops, parks, trails, dog parks, playgrounds and other City owned recreational facilities.
B20-0095 as introduced on February 4
[URL]http://dcclims1.dccouncil.us/images/00001/20130207160219.pdf
[/URL]
B20-0095 as amended on July 10
http://dcclims1.dccouncil.us/images/00001/20130801110251.pdf

Vapers in DC are urged to contact DC Council members, and urge them to reject the bill’s absurd ban on the use of noncombustible tobacco and e-cigarettes at outdoor areas, as the products pose no risks to nonusers.
Councilmembers | DC Council

The DC indoor smoking ban doesn't even include e-cigarettes, although I think another bill was also introduced this year to ban e-cig use indoors (by changing the definition of smoking).

 

[Bill Godshall]

The original thread for this legislation is at
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...opose-banning-e-cigarette-use-workplaces.html

The Huff Post article I posted last month at
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/13/dc-public-smoking-ban_n_3587905.html
indicated the DC Council Cmte approved the outdoor smoking ban at its first reading, but failed to mention that the bill was amended to include banning the use of smokeless tobacco and e-cigarettes.

The Huff Post article said the DC Council will vote a second time on the outdoor ban in September.

The DC bill to ban indoor e-cigarette use in workplaces is B20-0233
http://dcclims1.dccouncil.us/images/00001/20130510154712.pdf
and was referred to the Health, Judiciary and Public Safety Committee, which hasn't taken any action on the bill.

 

[Placebo Effect]

Yeah, last I heard the bill to add e-cigarettes to the smoking ban was likely to be heard in October.

Gotta get working on that.

 

[Bill Godshall]

Here's a deceptive letter in Washington Post urging DC Council to ban outdoor smoking, but failing to mention that the bill would also ban the use of e-cigarettes and smokeless tobacco.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opini...bfc5-406b928603b2_allComments.html?ctab=all_&

 

[soba1]

I already sent some emails to some of the council members.

 

[Bill Godshall]

I posted a comment on the Washington Post letter at
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opini...9c0bbc-0297-11e3-bfc5-406b928603b2_story.html

We need a vaper(s) in/near DC to mobilize other vapers to contact DC Council members, and we need vendors in DC to let their customers know about this bill (and the other one that would ban indoor use of e-cigs).

 

[soba1]

I posted a comment on the Washington Post letter at
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opini...9c0bbc-0297-11e3-bfc5-406b928603b2_story.html

We need a vaper(s) in/near DC to mobilize other vapers to contact DC Council members, and we need vendors in DC to let their customers know about this bill (and the other one that would ban indoor use of e-cigs).

I did as well

 

[Elnroth]

I posted a comment on the Washington Post letter at
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opini...9c0bbc-0297-11e3-bfc5-406b928603b2_story.html

We need a vaper(s) in/near DC to mobilize other vapers to contact DC Council members, and we need vendors in DC to let their customers know about this bill (and the other one that would ban indoor use of e-cigs).

Did you contact Linc (baldgroove)? I'm pretty sure he is from the dc or Baltimore area.