The difference between cigarettes and e-cigarettes? In Beverly Hills, it's just the letter 'e'.
In a preliminary ruling, the Beverly Hills City Council has determined that e-cigarettes will have the same legal stature as their battery-free counterparts; resulting in the e-cigarettes being banned from outdoor dining areas, parks, playgrounds, and recreational facilities. Additionally, as part of the new legislation, e-cigarettes will no longer be sold from vending machines, and will be prohibited from sale to minors.
A final vote will likely occur in March, with the law set to go ahead as of June 1. The Beverly Hills City Council is already considering an extension of the restrictions, with the possibility of prohibiting use of the devices in other public areas and events, such as outdoor parades, fairs, farmers markets. The City Council is also considering restrictions on smoking e-cigarettes in the proximity of outdoor service lines, such as queues for ATMs, as well as in town squares and plazas.
"This is a step to making Beverly Hills one of the healthiest cities in the world," said Beverly Hills Vice Mayor Lili Bosse. "We need to be the leader on this."
E-cigarettes have proved a controversial alternative to smoking; with supporters claiming a lack of tar-like substances make them the healthier option, particularly for smokers attempting to wean themselves off the habit. Cynics point to the nicotine content and a decided lack of concrete research, arguing that the habit is still both harmful and addictive.
"I'm very passionate about this. I really don't believe there's a greater public health issue than smoking," said the UCLA School of Medicine's Dr. Julian Gold. "The healthcare costs are just astronomical. I fully support the tying of the e-cigarettes to the regulations of tobacco."
The move comes as the federal government and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration attempt to make headway on regulating e-cigarettes nationally, in a similar vein to tobacco products. Despite a federal lag in legislating around the usage and sale of e-cigarettes, some states and cities - including New York and Los Angeles - have already begun to tackle the tricky issue of e-cigarette regulation, resulting in further pressure on federal regulatory bodies.
Smoking standard cigarettes is the leading cause of preventable death in America, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting that some 16 million smokers develop an illness as a direct result of the habit. Of that number, 480,000 smokers die yearly.
