Commissioners of Ross Township in Pennsylvania have moved their sights from focusing on tiny homes to tackling the inundation of vape shop developments.
According to the North Hills Journal, the township's commissioners have turned their focus to considering restrictions on smoke shops, particularly medical marijuana dispensaries.
"They just pop up overnight," said one Ross commissioner, Dan DeMarco, per the North Hills Journal. "They're out of control."
This is far from the first time public officials have weighed in on smoke shops. It doesn't take being in a government position to see these types of businesses scattered along every block, or to understand the associated health issues with electronic smoking devices.
In Henrico County, Virginia, a law was recently passed that keeps new smoking-related businesses from opening within a certain distance of schools, churches, and daycares in an attempt to address underage purchases of these products. Meanwhile, places like the Malaysian state of Pahang are putting a complete ban on new licenses for businesses hoping to sell e-cigarette products.
On top of making smoking more accessible and trendier, e-cigarettes pose a pretty frightening environmental risk as well. According to the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, "Americans threw away 5.7 disposable vapes (or e-cigarettes) per second in 2023."
While any kind of litter or waste is bad, vapes are known to contain lithium batteries and are usually made of plastic. As these products have been seen dumped in natural areas, their risk of harming wildlife or infiltrating waterways is real.
Previously, Ross Township attempted to ban tiny homes, citing concerns that the smaller residences wouldn't fit with existing neighborhoods and would drive property values down. The proposal was eventually scrapped over concerns about its constitutionality, whether it violated the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the costs of alterations for already-existing homes that were under the 1,500-square-foot limit.
The Ross Commissioners will meet on Sept. 15 to move forward in addressing the various issues related to smoke shops and dispensaries. The hope is that any step in regulating these kinds of shops can help lead to a decrease in their usage, protecting the environment and people's health.
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