E-cigs don’t break indoors smoking ban
It is official; Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelly issued his opinion on e-cigs and the Clean Indoor Air Act. According to Cuccinelli, e-cigs do not violate the indoors smoking ban.
What prompted Cuccinelly to give an official opinion was a request from 97th District, Delegate Christopher K. Peace (R-Hanover), asking for his stand on e-cigarette use.
As you may recall, in Virginia smoking inside places like restaurants and bars, except for those establishment where enclosed ventilated places were created, was banned in December. The Virginia Department of Health considered e-cigs to be a “cigarette of any kind”, also banning the indoors use of all e-cigs.
The Virginia e-cigarette smoking ban is now lifted and anyone can use them anywhere they please.
I believe this is a good example of logical thinking. Virginia Attorney General Cuccinelly is a smart man and he truly understands the difference between cigarette’s smoke and e-cigarette’s water vapor.
The AG said, “First, an e-cigarette does not involve the ‘inhaling, or exhaling of smoke. Second, an e-cigarette is battery powered and is not ‘lighted’ as that term is commonly understood. Accordingly, it is my opinion that using an e-cigarette does not fall under the definition ’smoke’ or ’smoking’ for the purposes of § 15.2-2820.”
Mr. Peace agrees with the AG opinion. He said, “Common sense tells you that if the purpose of the smoking ban was to create a healthier atmosphere and reduce the individual emissions in a defined space, if you will, with second hand smoke, the e-cigarettes doesn’t seem to fit any of those parameters…”
We need more rational politicians like Ken Cuccinelli and Peace who know when common sense should prevail.
Every day we are moving towards a better understanding of e-cigs. We still have a long road to go, but I can see the paved road that is giving people the power to smoke their e-cigarette anywhere they choose.
It’s too bad this is only Cuccinelli’s opinion. It would be very helpful to find more states to use your e-cigarette openly, without any fear of breaking the law or offending others. Slowly but surely, we are getting there.
