Governor Cuomo Signs Bills to Protect New York's Youth from Harmful Effects of Cigarettes
On September 5, 2012 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo signed two
bills to protect New York's
children and teenagers from the harmful effects of cigarettes.
The new laws include measures to
prohibit smoking within 100 feet of the entrances or exits of any public or
private schools (A.10141-B / S.6854-B), as well as prohibit the sale of
electronic cigarettes to individuals under the age of 18 (A.9044-B /S.2926-B).
"Cigarette smoking – as well
as exposure to secondhand smoke – is dangerous, particularly for our
children," Governor Cuomo said. "These two new laws will strengthen
our state's protections to help our young people avoid nicotine addiction as
well as the harmful effects of cigarette smoke. I thank the sponsors of both
these bills for their efforts to protect the health of our youth."
Prohibiting Smoking
Outside School
Entrances
The new law expands the ban on
smoking on school grounds to prohibit smoking within 100 feet of the entrances,
exits or outdoor areas of public and private schools. Residences or residential
property within the 100 foot perimeter would be excluded from the new law's
smoking ban. This new law takes effect immediately.
Prohibiting Sale
of Electronic Cigarettes to Minors
The majority of Americans who use
tobacco products become addicted to the nicotine in those products before
reaching the age of 18 years. Electronic cigarettes (often known as
“e-cigarettes”) are battery-powered devices that allow users to inhale a
vaporized liquid nicotine solution instead of tobacco smoke. E-cigarettes could
serve as a pathway to nicotine addiction for children, leading them to smoke
cigarettes and use other tobacco products. Moreover, e-cigarette refill
cartridges, often sold without protective packaging, contain high
concentrations of nicotine which could be fatal if accidentally ingested by
young children. In addition, the FDA has warned that that e-cigarettes may
contain ingredients that are known to be toxic to humans or that may otherwise
be unsafe.
The new law prohibits the sale of
electronic cigarettes to individuals who are less than 18 years of age. The
bill passed the Assembly and Senate unanimously, and the new law takes effect
on January 1, 2013.
Assembly Member Linda B. Rosenthal
said, "I am pleased that Governor Cuomo has signed my bill to ban the sale
of electronic cigarettes to minors and to regulate them in the same way that
other tobacco products are currently regulated. Electronic cigarettes, or
e-cigarettes, though currently unregulated and potentially dangerous to human
health, are manufactured in flavors meant to appeal to young people, such as
bubblegum and chocolate. E-cigarettes contain nicotine, the highly addictive
ingredient found in cigarettes and other tobacco products, which will hook yet
another generation of young people on a deadly habit. We will be saving lives
by preventing a generation of young people from sampling that first, addictive
cigarette."
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