Stricter regulations on vape shops are being proposed in the city of Newport News, Virginia, with the hope of curbing underage smokers and, in turn, future adult smokers.
According to WEVC, the Planning Commission agreed in early September to push for a new ordinance, which focuses on preventing new smoke shops from being established within 2,000 feet of schools or day care centers.
"This is ultimately about public safety," Newport News Mayor Phillip Jones told 13News Now. "There's been a lot of youth across the region and across the country who are starting to get addicted to nicotine and vape shops."
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that youth use electronic smoking devices, or vapes, more than any other tobacco product. As of 2024, the CDC stated that 1.63 million students used vape products, which includes both middle and high schoolers.
The health effects of vape products are no joke. Like their combustible counterparts, e-cigarettes can cause issues with the heart and lungs and are addictive. A study by Missouri Medicine explains that vapes may contain higher concentrations of nicotine than combustible cigarettes and that nicotine is problematic for developing brains.
Furthermore, disposable vape products are leading to an increasing littering issue. While any kind of litter is bad, many vapes are made of plastic and contain lithium batteries, both of which have toxic compounds that can harm wildlife or pollute waterways.
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By placing these restrictions in Newport News on businesses that primarily carry e-smoking products, the major hope is to discourage new young smokers from picking up the habit. The proposed ordinance also will not allow drive-thrus or tinted windows at these shops, which could have an effect on existing smokers.
Other areas in Virginia, such as Henrico County and Hanover County, have been successful in passing similar ordinances.
The city of Newport News posted on Facebook about the public hearing to discuss these potential new rules. Locals shared their thoughts in the comment section.
"They should be stand alone buildings, smoke and smell spread through shared walls and ppl hang around outside of connecting buildings," one person commented.
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Another person added: "Why not close them all!!!"
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