JASON MICHAEL, a store clerk at Bubba's Rock&uRollm Smokes, in the Battle Ground Plaza, enjoys a vape Thursday afternoon. Michael testified against the county ordinance passed Thursday that regulates e-cigarettes.
The Clark County Board of Health on Thursday unanimously voted to place the same restrictions on e-cigarettes and vaping devices as cigarettes under the Washington state Smoking in Public Places law.
The ordinance takes effect June 1. One exemption in the ordinance allows customers to sample vaping products inside businesses that primarily sell vaping devices. Vaping sampling will not be allowed in supermarkets, convenience stores or in malls.
Vaping will be banned from use in indoor public spaces, businesses and within 25 feet of building entrances, exits and windows that open. Vaping is still legal in private residences unless they house child care or other similar services.
The Clark County Board of Health is comprised of Clark County Councilors Jeanne Stewart, Tom Mielke and David Madore.
“It’s better to be safe than sorry,” said Councilor Mielke. “It’s going to be safer for the non-smoker. The chemicals in e-cigarettes are really harmful to infants. … We’ve made the right decision. What we don’t know is scary; what we do know is scary.”
Councilor Madore said the ordinance both protects the public from second-hand vapors and also “respects freedom and liberty to make their own choices when it come to their health.”
According to the Board of Health, second-hand vapor can contain toxins, including formaldehyde, acrolein, tin, toluene and aluminum, which can irritate skin, eyes and lungs, and can cause neurological and reproductive systems damage. The Board of Health, in a press release, stated “vapor has been found to contain higher concentrations of formaldehyde than tobacco smoke.”
Madore said before this ordinance passed, “vaping was completely unregulated and children are beginning to vape in huge numbers.”
In 2011, the Clark County Commissioners passed an ordinance banning the sales of e-cigarettes to minors.
“Youth will engage in behavior they see modeled by adults. This ordinance will help prevent normalization of smoking and vaping,” said Dr. Alan Melnick, Clark County health officer.
“We’ve seen an alarming rise of e-cigarette use among Clark County youth and are concerned that normalizing this behavior could promote nicotine addiction and wipe out recent gains in lowering rates of cigarette smoking.”
Jason Michael is a store clerk at Bubba’s Rock&uRollm Smokes located at the Battle Ground Plaza. He was demonstrating how to vape for a customer on Thursday. Michael sees a positive side of vaping.
“It helped me quit smoking,” Michael said. “In reality I’m three years into it and there’s nothing wrong with it. It’s a good way to quit smoking.”
Michael testified before the County Board of Health when it was considering the ordinance, and he appreciates the exemption allowing vaping in businesses such as Bubba’s. He said when he first started vaping, his mixture delivered 46 milligrams of nicotine. Michael said now he’s down to 3 milligrams. Michael also questioned the testing method that shows high levels of toxic vapors.
“I don’t trust their testing,” he said, adding they test at temperatures above what normal vaping devices deliver.
Michael said vaping is helping society, not damaging it.
“I am helping people, I’m getting people off of cigarettes,” he said.
