One Ohio city has taken a significant step in improving its air quality and reducing exposure to secondhand smoke.
As reported by Cleveland.com, the Euclid City Council unanimously passed an ordinance during an Aug. 18 meeting that will soon ban smoking and vaping on all public property.
The ban will go into effect Monday and will apply to all public parks, pools, and even parking lots. The newly passed ordinance was established to prevent exposure to secondhand smoke and create a healthier environment for all residents in the Cleveland suburb.
Euclid Councilman John Wojtila emphasized the significance of the ban and its impact on the community. The ordinance "does not allow smoking of any kind, including vaping products, on public property, meaning our pools and parks, so that everybody can enjoy it and not have the nuisance of tobacco or other smoke in your area," Wojtila said, per Cleveland.com.
After Monday, anyone caught using any tobacco or marijuana products on public property will be hit with a misdemeanor charge and face a fine of $150. Enforcement of the ban will be carried out by Euclid police officers.
However, some council members remained doubtful that the ban would not come with its fair share of confusion. "I don't want our law enforcement officers to have to deal with people violating the law who turn around and say 'I thought this was just cigarettes,'" Councilman Wallace Tanner said, per Cleveland.com.
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To properly keep Euclid residents up to date on the new ordinance, the city will soon post signs at many public locations.
While the newly passed ordinance doesn't outright ban the sale of cigarettes and vapes in Euclid, it may potentially lead to a substantial economic loss for businesses. By preventing the use of vapes, local shops may see a loss of revenue. These bans primarily affect independent vape shops but can also impact convenience stores and gas stations that carry vaping products.
Despite the potential drawback of the new ordinance, Patrick Cooney, the director of law for the city of Euclid, noted the growing issue that vapes have become. "Vaping is as big a problem as smoking," Cooney said, per Cleveland.com.
In 2023, 5.7 disposable vapes were discarded every second. That was a sizable increase from the 4.5 discarded vapes per second reported in 2022. Besides secondhand smoke exposure, vaping can significantly impact the environment by generating massive plastic and electronic waste. Vape pens also contain toxic components such as nicotine and heavy metals that can leach into soil and water.
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