(KCPW News) A bill banning the use of hookahs and e-cigarettes in public places under the Utah Indoor Clean Air Act will be debated by the full senate after a senate committee unanimously approved it today. The bill does carve out exemptions for some established businesses, like the Huka Bar and Grill in Murray. Owner Nate Porter says exposure to hookah vapor is expected by patrons of his business.
“Nobody is involuntarily being exposed to hookah when they go into the Huka Bar and Grill. Nor does the debate for children apply when we’re a 21 and over establishment. So we’re a different entity,” says Porter.
However, the Utah chapter of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network opposes the bill because of the exemptions. Michael Siler, the organization’s director of government relations, says the bill runs contrary to the legislature’s responsibility to protect everyone’s health.
“Our opposition is an endorsement of good, comprehensive, science-based public health polity which unfortunately this bill will not produce,” says Siler.
Third substitute House Bill 245 includes a five-year sunset, meaning if it’s passed, lawmakers will have to take up the debate again in 2017. The bill’s sponsor, Representative Brad Last, says this allows time for the completion of more studies on the effects of second-hand hookah and e-cigarette vapor.
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4 Comments
When I see articles like this that hardline against e-cigs i’m completely dumbfounded by the so called EDUCATED people in America and Canada that run our countries.
There is research out there, there are tons of testimonials out there from ex-smokers who now vape(e-cig). These lazy politicians just don’t take the time to get off their butt and get educated on the issue.
Its a simply issue of follow the money. UK is already starting to report a decrease in NRTs, the only thing our system is doing by banning e-cigs is protecting the bottom line of Big Pharma and Big Tobacco(70% of the cost is government taxes)guess that little quotation puts the governments bottom line on the list as well, and try to deceive us its for our health. With the e-cig first it was the PG but opps thats in inhalers, now its the nicotine but opps again lvls comparable to nicorete. Now this week I even see a politican in not so many words saying smoking is better then vaping.
Omg exorcist spin of the head on that…. 2500 chemicals added to smokes, 599 of which are actually reported for the public, combustion of the chemicals with plant product creates a couple thousand more. This is healther then nicotine, PG usp, VG usp, and flavorant exhaled as a water vapour????? Seriously what ever these people use for recreation in there spare times has really messed their minds.
“This allows time for the completion of more studies on the effects of second-hand hookah and e-cigarette vapor”
Are you serious? It’s odorless vapor that disappears almost instantly once exhaled. You honestly believe e-cigarettes to be as or more harmful than traditional cigs? Do you really need all these tests to recognize them as effective alternatives to tobacco?
I definitely agree with the above comment, you are supporting big tobacco companies that have been killing people for years.
The members of the Utah Vapers group wish to discuss this publicly in more depth again this year if KCPW would give us an opportunity. Please contact us so we can arrange an interview to discuss the facts on electronic cigarettes which Senator Osmond and the others are publicly ignoring based only on their personal belief system rather than the scientific facts and the voice of the Utah public.
The FDA had already approved Glycerin and Propylene Glycol as GRAS ingredients. They are ingested directly by all of us every day, and is the primary ingredient in flavor concentrates as well as children’s tylenol.
I agree that the source of nicotine being tobacco can lead to miniscule amounts of carcinogens being inhaled, but the extraction process of nicotine and 99.7-99.9% purity in the nicotine concentrate will lead to a significantly lower rate of ingestion.
Then there is the issue of tar, which causes a significant portion of health issues related to smoking. None of that exists in this, nor does the extensive lists of byproducts that come from burning tobacco.
I would say the burden of proof lies with the group of people who want these banned.
The electronic cigarette community has already paid for testing to be done, and the result is effectively no health risks. Further testing is being done and the industry is self-regulating. The cheap and unscrupulous makers are being weeded out by these tests and the low quality of their product.
A ban would merely be prejudicial and probably caused by the money involved in taxation and big tobacco, having nothing to do with concerns over health.