The Straight Story (1000+ posts) Thu Dec-16-10 06:14 PM
Original message
King County bans public e-cigarette smoking - fear of eroding "social norms."
King County bans public e-cigarette smoking
By VANESSA HO
SEATTLEPI.COM STAFF
The King County Board of Health passed a controversial proposal Thursday that bans the public use of electronic cigarettes, despite protests that the battery-powered, nicotine-delivery sticks emit no second-hand smoke and are often used for harm reduction.
The measure is not a complete ban on e-cigarettes. Rather, it prohibits e-cigarette smoking in the same places where real smoking is forbidden by the state, such as restaurants, bars and workplaces.
But the state's tobacco smoking ban, adopted in 2006, was based on the fact that second-hand smoke causes cancer and other diseases. The rationale behind King County's e-cig ban was a fear of eroding "social norms."
Health officials reasoned that the fake smokes - which emit a less-smelly, combustion-free vapor - are so similar to real smokes that they may cause people to think it's OK to smoke in public. And that may lead to more nicotine addiction and second-hand smoke, officials said.
"By returning smoking to the public eye, public e-cigarette use threatens to undermine the social norming impact" of the smoking ban, testified Scott Neal, manager of the tobacco prevention program for Public Health -- Seattle & King County.
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/431933_e-cig-ban.html?so...
Paging the pilgrims and old time missionaries - you are back in style.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x23789Actually, I agree with Straight Story's underlying statement that it shouldn't be banned. However, the drivel he spews in between his underlying opinion is trash. I'll let you guys sift through the rest of the BS.
