City officials seek to implement sweeping ban on popular product: 'Ongoing issues'

A city in Iowa is considering a ban on e-cigarettes and vape products in all areas where smoking is already banned.

This proposed ban is significant because it would be more restrictive than the regulations in most, if not all, other metro cities.

As the Des Moines Register reported, a proposed city ordinance in Ankeny, Iowa, would ban electronic smoking devices that contain nicotine or other substances.

The ban would apply to electronic smoking devices in all places displaying "No Smoking Municipal Ordinance" signs, including buildings, buses, restaurants, and outdoor entertainment venues.

Smoking cigarettes, cigars, and pipes is already illegal in these places. However, the new ban would outlaw vape pens and all e-cigarette and e-cigar products.

City officials have experienced "ongoing issues with vaping" at events and facilities. Therefore, they are looking to align e-smoking restrictions with the traditional smoking bans to promote public health and ease enforcement protocols.

This proposed ban is encouraging because of its positive health impacts on the community, especially for teens and young adults who are most likely to be vape users. Product marketing and social media influences have led many youth to pick up vaping habits under the guise of misinformation that vaping is safer than smoking cigarettes.

Research shows that many disposable vapes release nickel, lead, and antimony at highly unsafe levels. Heavy metal exposure is linked to long-term damage to the brain and lungs.

Not only does vaping harm people's health, but it also impacts the environment.

When disposable vapes are discarded after being used up, they make their way to landfills, where they release toxic chemicals and pose fire and contamination hazards. Vapes with advanced touchscreen options are significantly contributing to our planet's growing e-waste problem while wasting consumers' money on frivolous features.

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Wherever you live, you can take local action to promote vape bans and support proper recycling.

According to The Iowa Clinic, vaping has moved beyond a teenage trend and is now a health crisis linked to increases in nicotine addiction, lung injuries, and death.

"What was once considered a safe 'alternative' to smoking tobacco cigarettes is proving to be anything but," the clinic wrote.

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