A sad, destructive and embarrassing anti-climax for e-cigarettes in NYC

By ACSH Staff — Dec 20, 2013
NYC Council sends e-cigarettes and vapers who switched from deadly smoking out into the cold with real cigarette smokers. A brilliant coup, by a thoroughly political and ignorant group of lawmakers. It s now an embarrassment to be a New Yorker.

139865126We tried our best to convince ourselves that wiser heads at New York s City Council would overrule the ignorant approval (by a unanimous vote, no less!) by the Health Committee, of the restriction of e-cigarettes to only those areas where real cancer sticks are allowed. But early in the Council meeting, actually a long-kiss-goodbye to the Bloomberg era, it dawned on us: no such luck. No such enlightenment, rather. By an overwhelming vote, the measure passed with no discernible debate or discussion. Instead of a Council meeting, the scene, consuming over 4 hours, amounted to little more (or less) than a Frat party-New Year s Eve-pat each other on the back with speeches that dragged on and on, doing nothing involving public business. Apparently the actual voting took place in some back room before the actual meeting. Oh well. Next stop: litigation since such counterproductive, harmful governmental intrusion upon personal rights and the free market needs to be justified by a clear public health benefit, and must be of the lightest intrusiveness to accomplish that goal. This ill-advised measure fails both test. See you in Court.

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