Operators of a northern England rapid-transit system have made it costly to vape while using their service.
Anyone caught vaping or using e-cigarettes on the Tyne and Wear Metro can now face prosecution and a fine of more than $1,300, the BBC reported. The rule, which took effect July 1, matches the service's anti-smoking rule, which has been in place since the Metro opened in 1980.
The Metro is a light-rail system that brings riders throughout the Tyne and Wear county, with stops in cities such as Newcastle and Sunderland. Officials told the BBC that vaping was the top complaint reported by passengers and previously said that most of the people who vaped on the Metro were children.
"The overwhelming majority of our customers who vape are considerate and refrain from doing so on Metro," operations director Kevin Storey told the BBC. "The minority of people who vape on our property should be aware of the introduction of the bylaw and the potential for being issued with a fine."
Vaping has been proved to pose a danger to the health of humans, animals, and the environment. Although they are frequently marketed as safer alternatives to cigarettes, they still contain nicotine, and studies have shown that when people exhale after vaping, the secondhand exposures still pose health risks, particularly in closed environments like the Metro.
The University of California, Davis, has also found that popular disposable vape brands often emit high levels of lead and nickel.
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Those single-use vapes, which contain large amounts of plastic and a battery, generate massive amounts of waste. When littered, they also pose a threat to local wildlife, such as when a penguin was spotted carrying a discarded vape pen in its mouth.
E-cigarettes have only been in the United States and Europe for less than 20 years, so there still isn't nearly the amount of research into them as there is on traditional tobacco products. Still, the evidence has been overwhelming enough that many governments have taken strong action against them.
More than 30 countries have banned the sale of vapes and e-cigarettes, including Argentina, Brazil, India, Norway, and Thailand.
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