Los Angeles and Long Beach unanimously add ecigs to smokefree ordinances; San Francisco up next

On March 4, 2014 the City Councils for both Los Angeles and Long Beach, CA, unanimously passed laws adding e-cigs to their clean indoor air laws.
 
The ecig/tobacco companies pulled out all the stops to fight the LA ordinance, including hiring well-connected lobbyists, running radio ads and robocalls, but in the end the City Council resisted the pressure and enacted a strong law that will protect people in indoor workplaces, restuarants, bars and other public places and some outdoor areas from ecigarette air pollution.
 
The LA ordinance does allow e-cigarette use in vaping lounges; the specific language is being prepared now.  It is important that these establishments be defined carefully as places that only sell e-cigarettes and related materials.  In particular, they should not be allowed to serve food and drink to avoid opening up a loophole in the law.
The Long Beach law is even more comprehensive.  Here is a summary of what happened there from the Coalition for a Smokefree Long Beach:

The Long Beach City Council last night (Tuesday, March 4th) voted unanimous approval of revisions to the City's "Smoking in Public Places" (Municipal Code Chapter 8.68) and "Tobacco Retail Permit" Ordinances (Municipal Code Chapter 5.81) to include electronic cigarettes, and vapor devices.
 
The Council's 9-0 vote came after a lengthy discussion of the issue, which included an effort to allow "vaping" of nicotine free substances inside stores devoted to selling e-cigarettes and similar vapor devices.  That effort failed after Council member Suja Lowenthal (co-sponsor with Council member Dee Andrews of the E-Cigarette Ordinance) pointed out that it would be extremely difficult and expensive for the City to enforce.
 
With the passage of this E-Cigarette Ordinance, "vaping" will now join tobacco products in being prohibited in public places such as restaurants, bars, retail stores, city facilities, workplaces, movie theaters, libraries, public meeting rooms, movie theaters, parks, beaches, and more.
 
Please see the attached copy of the approved E-Cigarette Ordinance which was on last night's Council Agenda.
 
Our thanks to Coalition for a Smoke Free Long Beach Co-Chairs Paula Wood and Peter Flores for their steadfast support and attending and speaking at multiple Council meetings concerning this issue, and to the many others who testified, among them Theresa Marino, Pat Etem, City of Hope's Dr. Frederic Grannis, Evan Braude, Melinda Cotton and more.  Our thanks to the American Heart Association, the American Lung Association and the American Cancer Society for their letters and support and thanks to all of you who sent e-mails and letters and made phone calls to Council members endorsing the changes to the City Code.  We are grateful to Councilman Dee Andrews and his Chief of Staff John Edmond for launching this effort to bring e-cigarettes under City Code, to Council member Suja Lowenthal for joining that effort and to the Long Beach City Council for its unanimous vote.
 
Thanks to all of you who sent e-mails and letters and made phone calls to Council members supporting the changes to the City Code.
 
 We hope to see you at the upcoming Coalition Meeting, March 19th from 3:00 - 5:00 pm at the Miller Health Center 3820 Cherry Avenue.

 
Coalition For A Smoke Free Long Beach
[email protected]
http://www.facebook.com/CoalitionForASmokeFreeLongBeach
http://www.facebook.com/FreshAirDiningLB

 
While the FDA and Obama Administration keep persevering -- Obama has not even finalized a Department of Transportation rule to prohibit e-cigarettes on airplanes  that has been pending for 2 1/2 years -- it is heartening to see local governments all over the country stepping up to the plate and protecting public health.
 
San Francisco is next, when it considers a proposal from Supervisor Eric Mar to add e-cigarettes to its clean indoor air and cigarette license law on March 6.  I'll be there.