Dallas Citizens Committee Recommends Banning E-cigarette in Public Places

According to a report from Dallas News on October 9th, the Dallas Citizen Advisory Committee has recommended following the lead of other major cities in Texas and banning the use of e-cigarettes in public places.

Candace Thompson, chair of the Dallas City Environmental Protection Committee and Health Committee, has recommended the adoption of a policy to restrict e-cigarette use as a measure in response to public health threats. Thompson emphasizes that they have found a correlation between the exposure to the smoke generated by e-cigarettes and negative health impacts on vulnerable populations.

In August 2023, the Environmental Committee unanimously approved a recommendation to expand the smoking ban in Dallas, which was initially implemented in 2016, to include the prohibition of nicotine and non-nicotine products in most public places. There are a few exceptions, such as bars, restaurants, and parks that are privately operated. However, Kathy Stewart, the Dallas City Councilor responsible for parks, trails, and the Environmental Committee, stated that although she had seen the memo outlining this proposal, her committee did not discuss or vote on the ban.

Sam Kovacs, a worker who uses e-cigarettes, expressed his belief that he fundamentally supports a ban on e-cigarettes after learning about the potential risks of toxic fine particles in e-cigarette liquids. However, he anticipates difficulties in implementing such a ban.

According to a recent study published in the Journal of Preventive Medicine, conducted at the School of Public Health at the University of Texas, there is a correlation between non-smoking adolescents who use e-cigarettes and an increased risk of developing asthma. The researchers also discovered that children with depression are more likely to use e-cigarettes.

According to the latest law in Texas, students who are found using e-cigarettes in school will now face mandatory suspension and transfer to alternative education programs. Previously, each district had the autonomy to decide the punishments for students caught using e-cigarettes.

The objective of the Dallas Environmental Protection Committee is to prevent vulnerable individuals, such as children and people with underlying health conditions, from suffering harm due to secondhand and thirdhand smoke by implementing a ban on e-cigarette usage.