Vaping may soon be illegal in Golden Gate City. San Francisco supervisors have approved a ban on the sale and distribution of e-cigarettes, as well as their manufacturing on city property.
The legislation was introduced to curb youth vaping, but critics say it won’t do much good. Some believe it will encourage the usage of regular, more hazardous cigarettes.
“But the prohibition of vapor products for all adults in San Francisco will not effectively address underage use and will leave cigarettes on shelves as the only choice for adult smokers, even though they kill 40,000 Californians every year,” Juul spokesman Ted Kwong said.
Tuesday’s vote also sets the stage for a November ballot fight over e-cigarettes. Juul has already contributed $500,000 to the Coalition for Reasonable Vaping Regulation, which is set to gather signatures to put an initiative on the issue before voters.
The American Vaping Association opposed San Francisco’s proposal as well, saying adult smokers deserve access to less hazardous alternatives.