E-Cigarettes and Vaping: To Ban or Not to Ban

Boston, New York, and Chicago have already banned electronic cigarettes in all places where conventional cigarettes are. Los Angeles seems like it will soon follow suit. Although advocates claim that e-cigarettes are not dangerous to bystanders because they emit vapor and not smoke, the fear is that smoking e-cigarettes (commonly referred to as “vaping”) will normalize the act of smoking again, and undo a half century of education about the dangers of tobacco use. 

Vaping activist argue just the opposite. They claim that many current smokers switch to vaping because it is more socially acceptable, less dirty, and less hazardous than cigarettes. They argue that smoking and vaping are vastly different acts, and that to classify vaping under the same category as smoking would force vapers to use smoking areas, thereby putting themselves at risk of second hand smoke. 

It’s an interesting issue and one that will continue to pop up in the news as e-cigarettes find their place in our society. Certainly the cultural and financial ramifications of this kind of regulation are significant. In fact financial analysts say that if left unimpeded, the sales of e-cigarettes could surpass conventional tobacco products within a decade (although I find that a bit unrealistic).

As far as community associations and HOAs are concerned, more and more boards of directors are beginning to regulate the issue. This could be a hotly-debated topic for your association. Many people have strong feelings on the very appearance of smoking, and thus it will be important to frame the discussion properly in order to come to a logical and applicable decision for your community.

Personal feelings aside, the real question to be settled is whether or not your community association considers vaping a public health or property risk. Some facts to consider when having this conversation:

• There are at least 60 carcinogens in tobacco smoke. However, nicotine, the chemical that makes smoking addictive, and the chemical found in e-cigarettes, is not one of them.
• Vaping does not produce smoke, but a vapor of water and some residual PG or VG (two chemicals considered safe for consumption and used as food additives in a variety of products)
• Allowing vaping in a community that bans smoking could result in an increase in tobacco use because it will normalize the act of exhaling some kind of smoke/vapor.
• However, the opposite is also a possibility. Vaping could encourage current smokers to switch to e-cigarettes, resulting in a healthier community as well as reducing the risk of smoke damage occurring to community property. 
• There is no scientific evidence that supports either of the last two points, but they represent the major argument for both sides.

Obviously any decision a board makes on this issue will have to fall within the jurisdiction of the city or county where the community is located.  In addition, the Food and Drug Administration has said that they will soon regulate on e-cigarettes, which could end up rendering any board decision moot. 

By SJ Petteruti, The Management Trust

via:http://www.managementtrust.com/blog/bid/105425/E-Cigarettes-and-Vaping-To-Ban-or-Not-to-Ban