San Francisco officials proposed the country’s first total e-cigarette ban citing public health justifications. However, what does it mean to ban something for the benefit of society’s well-being?
There is no doubt that specific public health regulations are required to protect the population. From banning toxic materials in consumer goods to issuing mandatory occupational health guidelines, the public policy justifications of particular laws and regulations can indeed be warranted. Under the current trend toward global prohibition against lower-risk nicotine products like e-cigarettes and vapes, there is a viable case for questioning what constitutes a public health ban.
In most jurisdictions around the United States, there are various forms of smoke-free and clean air policies that restrict cigarette and vaping use in public spaces. Barring the exemptions to social clubs, bars, and other types of private establishments, smoke-free policies are widespread and quite common. Since the declaration of an epidemic associated with youth vaping, the states and localities have found a new target. Even though the rights of an elected government endowed by their constituencies grant the powers to regulate vaping within home-rule jurisdictions, these policymaking “fads” usually are taken to the extreme.
Michael McGrady – Vaping Post – March 29, 2019.
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