SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — Starting next month, Illinoisans will not be able to use their vapes or other e-cigarette products inside public places.
When the Smoke-Free Illinois Act went into effect in 2007, it prohibited the use of cigars and cigarettes inside and within 15 feet of entrances. Now, the law going into effect on Jan. 1 will strengthen the Smoke-Free Illinois Act.
“E-cigarettes, in all of their many forms, continue to be one of the most addictive products readily available for purchase in gas stations, vape shops and online,” State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest), who sponsored the bill in the Senate, said in a release. “We have made solid progress toward de-normalizing the perception of tobacco, and I am proud that on Jan. 1, e-cigarette usage will be banned indoors.”
Advocates believe e-cigarettes can also be dangerous like cigarettes to people’s long-term health.
"Secondhand e-cigarette aerosol contains harmful and potentially harmful chemicals. The use of e-cigarettes has skyrocketed in recent years with tobacco companies targeting teens and young people with enticing flavors,” Kristina Hamilton, the Illinois advocacy director for the American Lung Association, said. “This expansion of the landmark Smoke-Free Illinois Act will reduce the negative effects of e-cigarettes on our communities.”
Anyone caught using an e-cigarette inside a public place in the state can be fined $100 on the first offense.
The bill was signed into law by the governor in July. Illinois pushed the legal age to buy products with tobacco from 18 to 21 in 2019.
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December 18, 2023 at 03:20PM
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