Boca to be E-Cigarette Free

An ordinance introduced during a City Hall meeting has the potential of prohibiting e-cigarettes around the city

Mohammed+F+Emran+%7C+Web+Editor

Mohammed F Emran | Web Editor

Bibi Patel, Contributing Writer

FAU students have already been prohibited from smoking on campus. Now, smoking (of any sort) off campus in certain locations may no longer be an option.

Ordinance 5296 was introduced during a City Hall meeting on Feb. 10.  The purpose of the ordinance is to ban e-cigarettes in locations around Boca Raton where regular cigarettes are already prohibited.

These locations are limited to public areas and the ordinance specifies that private locations such as homes, stand-alone bars and smoke shops are not included.

This ordinance was proposed by Council Member Constance Scott who experienced second-hand smoke from an e-cigarette.

“Until the research has been done to determine they are not harmful, I don’t want the residents exposed to potentially unhealthy carcinogens,” Scott stated in the Sun Sentinel.

The official document for the ordinance contains a statement from the American Heart Association stating e-cigarette vapor exposes residents to nicotine and other toxic chemicals.

The ordinance itself does not give a procedure in determining whether the e-cigarette contains nicotine. Punishments for not following an ordinance according to Section 1-16.  General Penalty in the Code of Ordinances is a fine of up to $500 and/or imprisonment for up to 60 days.

Freshman chemistry major Jonathan De La Cruz expressed his opinions via text regarding Boca Raton’s ordinance.

“E-liquid vapor is just glycerin, the same stuff inhalers use,” De La Cruz said. “Fuck it, we should ban emergency inhalers.”

At the next City Council regular meeting (date to be announced), the ordinance will be under a regular public hearing where anyone can comment and express their thoughts and concerns for the ordinance before council members make a motion.

Rules for public hearings according to the Boca Raton City Council Agenda are to state your name and address and limit your response to five minutes.

City Council Regular Meetings are held in the City Council Chamber of City Hall (201 W. Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton, Fla. 33432) starting at 6 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month.

For more information on the agenda and the next regular meeting time, click here and look under the section “Upcoming Events.”