Seeking to “curb the epidemic of youth vaping,” San Francisco officials voted on Tuesday to effectively ban the sale of e-cigarettes — becoming the first US city to do so and thrusting the coastal tech hub into a fierce debate over the future of smoking.
Advocates of the ban say the city must act where federal regulators have not, protecting teens and prohibiting the sale of untested products until they undergo FDA review. Opponents say the new law leaves cigarettes — known to cause cancer and heart disease — as the only practical option for those addicted to nicotine.
But will the strict new policy make San Francisco healthier?
It depends on which public health experts you ask.
E-cigarettes are popular with smokers trying to kick the habit, as they satisfy the urge for nicotine while removing exposure to the tar and toxins of burned tobacco, but many worry they’re creating new addictions to nicotine — particularly among young people.
Arman Azad – CNN – June 26, 2019.
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