The Marion Board of Health has drafted new regulations that would ban the use of electronic nicotine delivery devices, or e-cigarettes, in public areas including municipal-owned parks, beaches, and all outdoor areas of restaurants, bars, and anywhere food and drink is served.
The smoking of cigarettes and cigars is already prohibited from these areas in Marion.
The board voted to accept the draft regulations presented by Marion Health Director Karen Walega on December 8. The new regulations would prohibit the use of e-cigarettes and ‘vaping’ with a nicotine delivery device that creates a vapor by electronically heating a liquid that contains nicotine. Vaping has not yet been approved by the FDA for safe use, although some users consider the device to be a safer alternative to cigarettes.
Massachusetts allows individual towns to adopt stronger regulations if the local board of health so chooses. The Town’s ban on cigarette and e-cigarette use exceeds the Commonwealth’s minimum of banning smoking and vaping in workplaces.
The Board of Health will hold a public hearing on the proposed smoking regulation changes on January 26 at 4:30 pm at the Marion Town House; the details of the public hearing will be publically posted as mandated by law. Residents will have the chance to speak on the proposed smoking regulation changes before the board votes to adopt them.
The next meeting of the Marion Board of Health is scheduled for January 12 at 4:30 pm at the Marion Town House.
By Jean Perry
In the absense of any proven public health problem this is over reach. Let property owners decide about vaping.