The Clark County Board of Health is supporting two statewide measures to limit electronic cigarette sales to and use by, minors and will next month consider an ordinance to further restrict the use of vapor devices locally.
The board of health, which is made up of the three county councilors, voted unanimously Wednesday to support House Bill 1645 and companion Senate Bill 5573, which were drafted at the request of Gov. Jay Inslee and Attorney General Bob Ferguson.
The bills prohibit the use and possession of electronic cigarettes and other electronic vapor inhalation devices by minors and restrict the sales of such devices to those 18 years and older.
In addition, the bills impose a tax on vapor products and prohibit the shipment of vapor products purchased by mail or through the Internet to people in the state, with the exception of wholesalers, distributors and retailers.
The legislation is touted as a tool for youth substance abuse prevention.
“The use of these products by children has grown exponentially,” said Dr. Alan Melnick, Clark County Public Health director and county health officer.
Preliminary statewide results from the 2014 Healthy Youth Survey administered in October show that nearly a quarter of high school seniors use the devices, Melnick said.
In the anonymous survey, 23 percent of 12th-graders said they had used vaping devices in the previous 30 days. About 18 percent of 10th-graders and 8 percent of 8th-graders said they had used the devices in the previous month, according to Melnick.
Local restrictions
The county in June 2011 passed an ordinance that banned the sale of electronic vapor devices to minors. At the time, the public health department also proposed extending restrictions under the Smoking in Public Places law, formerly the Washington Clean Indoor Air Act, to include the electronic devices. The board decided not to take further action.
Next month, however, the board of health will once again consider extending the state law that prohibits smoking inside businesses open to the public and in places of employment to include e-cigarettes and other electronic vapor devices.
The board of health asked health department staff to bring a draft ordinance forward and will discuss the proposal at its March 25 meeting.
“They have been hearing about, and accurately so, that these are being used for marijuana,” said Theresa Cross, health educator for the county’s chronic disease prevention program. “The councilors are concerned about marijuana use.”
Public health has also shared with councilors the increasing number of business owners asking for direction regarding vapor devices. Businesses may not want people using the devices, and can legally prohibit the use, but often ask public health staff why the devices don’t fall under the indoor smoking law, Cross said.
A handful of other local jurisdictions across the state have passed ordinances to restrict the use of vapor devices in public places.
“We’re thrilled the board of health is interested in this,” Cross said.
