History: The first e-cigarette was patented in 1963, but in 2003, Chinese
pharmacist Hon Lik invented a more sophisticated version of a nicotine-based
e-cig.
What
it is: A
tobacco-free smoking alternative, like nicotine patches or gum, that provides
an experience similar to smoking. Because the "smoke" is water vapor,
vaping can be done indoors.
How
it works: Devices
come in a variety of shapes, sizes and materials. The main tube that holds the
battery and e-liquid, or "juice," usually is called a mod or pen. The
battery heats the juice to create an inhalable mist.
Ingredients: Vegetable glycerin; propylene glycol (found in many pharmaceutical
and personal care products); flavoring; and nicotine, ranging from 0 to 18
milligrams.
Customers: In Southern California, you must be over 18 to purchase an e-cig
product and to vape, but that is not the case in all states. Some consider it a
smoking cessation product, but existing regulations do not allow for that to be
officially advertised.
Price: Costs vary for starter kits but can be as low as $15. On average,
juice and cartridge refills cost $10 to $20.
Source: casaa.org, esmoking101.com, totallywicked-eliquid.com
Melissa
Williams relaxes at Genkivape in Lakewood. Williams has been vaping for six
months in an effort to quit smoking.
Tony Borriboonratana said he was a
smoker for 10 years before he discovered electronic cigarettes.
He had tried everything, he said, from the patch to meditation, to
try to quit.
E-cigarettes and vaporizer devices, or “vapes,” work like
cigarettes, in that they contain nicotine but are missing the tobacco. They
don't produce smoke, supposedly making them less harmful to users' bodies.
“It wasn't just something that helped me quit; it helped me replace
cigarettes with a healthier alternative,” he said. “I could still have my cake
and eat it, too.”
Now, Borriboonratana works for Vape Revolution in Cerritos, a shop
that claims to be one of the first of its kind to open in Southern California
and one of the biggest in the nation.
Despite the growing trend of e-cigarettes and vapes, which have
different levels of nicotine – from 36 milligrams to none – many cities in the
greater Long Beach area are cracking down on them, passing moratoriums and
regulations.
Cerritos recently passed a moratorium on new e-cigarette and vape
shops, and Lakewood is looking to pass regulations on where the items can be
used.
The city of Long Beach doesn't have any moratoriums or concerns
about the devices, City Manager Pat West said.
HEALTH
WORRIES
Cities that are taking action say they are placing restrictions on
the devices to allow more time to research the potential health risks and
benefits of e-cigarettes, and the Food and Drug Administration hopes to release
its findings about the potential risks soon.
While FDA results were expected by the end of October, FDA
spokeswoman Jennifer Haliski said further research is needed to assess the
potential public health benefits and risks of electronic cigarettes and other
devices. E-cigarettes use nicotine cartridges, while vaporizers use water and
flavored oil.
“The FDA intends to propose a regulation that would extend the
agency's tobacco product authorities, which currently only apply to cigarettes,
cigarette tobacco, roll-your-own tobacco and smokeless tobacco to other
categories of tobacco products that meet the statutory definition of tobacco
product,” she said in an email.
Amber Lee, spokeswoman for Vape Revolution, feels it is unjust to
group e-cigarettes and vapes with tobacco products, citing that users of such
devices want to stay away from tobacco completely.
“It would upset a lot of people because people who vape would like
to have the choice to not have to vape in the smoking area outside,” she
explained. “They are Americans who also have the right to not breathe
secondhand smoke.”
SCHOOLS
TAKE ACTION
Local schools are also cracking
down on the devices.
Cal State Long Beach Dean of Students Jeff Klaus said that students
are only allowed to use the devices 20 feet away from a building's windows and
doors, as with tobacco products.
Jeff Cornejo, principal at Millikan High School, said he sent a
letter to parents at the beginning of the school year warning them about the
devices and saying they will be confiscated if used on campus. He said the
school has confiscated three devices since the beginning of the semester.
“It is a concern because they contain either nicotine or THC oil,”
he explained, citing THC as a main ingredient in marijuana. “The difficulty is
we can't tell what liquid is in a device, and because of that, we don't want
them here on campus.”
Cornejo said he was also concerned about a vape shop that opened
within blocks of the school.
“The issue is you're really not supposed to build a liquor store
within 500 feet of a school campus,” he said. “It's not a liquor store, but
it's the same concept. I believe this one is that close to our north parking
lot.”
Gene Valbuena, who works at Vape Street in Artesia, said he thinks
the trend of vapes and e-cigarettes is starting to “get out of control” because
minors are starting to buy them. This reflects negatively on his business, he
said.
“I've heard a lot of stories about schools confiscating the devices
from students,” he said. “Now all the fingers are pointing toward us. It's hard
to deal with all that stuff while trying to promote an alternative lifestyle.”
Martin Almeida, left, Adrian Leyva sample flavors at the tasting bar at
Vape Revolution in Cerritos.
FINDING
A BALANCE
Borriboonratana said he agreed that e-cigarettes and vapes shouldn't
be used in certain places, like restaurants, classrooms and theaters, to be
courteous to others who may not know what the devices are or who would have to
explain them to their children.
He said he also agrees with the laws that the items only be available
to people over the age of 18. Vape Revolution, like all smoke shops, is
required to check IDs upon arrival, and Borriboonratana said he doesn't mind.
“It's not for kids,” he said. “We don't believe anyone under the age
of 18 has the maturity to make a decision about in-taking nicotine, even if
they choose zero milligrams.”
Likewise, David Joo, owner of Genki Vape in Lakewood, said he agrees
with restrictions on where people can use the devices, but he hopes vaping
won't be wiped out completely.
“As long as (the council gives) people who are vaping a place they
can actually vape, then I do not mind,” he said, adding he would like people to
continue to be able to vape inside his shop.
One of the reasons Lakewood is looking at restricting the devices is
because of a fear that they could be used for illegal substances, said
Community Development Director Sonia Southwell at an Oct. 8 City Council
meeting.
Borriboonratana argued that while
he's aware people can smoke other items with the devices, the drug issue should
be totally separate.
“You can smoke pot out of these, but just like anything else, people
buy Zig-Zags (rolling papers) to roll tobacco or marijuana,” he said. “You
don't see them banning Zig-Zags or blunt wraps. People have the choice to break
the law or not, regardless. At our shop, we don't sell any paraphernalia of any
kind.”
Borriboonratana urged lawmakers to continue studying the devices and
their benefits before making a quick decision, which would include lumping the
products in with tobacco.
“Unless they have a firsthand account of how these devices helped
one of their family members or friends, they're not really going to fully grasp
how it's helping people,” he said. “Until there's proof that there's tobacco in
our actual devices, then there's nothing more you can do.”
***
Temple
City adopted
an e-cigarette zoning/CUP ordinance that prohibits e-cigarette retailing within
1,000 feet of youth sensitive areas (e.g., parks and schools) among other
conditions.
Pico
Rivera adopted
an e-cigarette ordinance that prohibits the use of e-cigarettes in school
campuses, public buildings, child day care facilities, public parks, polling
places and retail establishments selling e-cigarettes.
Lakewood is looking to
possibly adopt zoning regulations on e-cigarettes.
Cerritos, Seal Beach, Norwalk, Bellflower,
Duarte and Alhambra adopted e-cigarette moratoriums to
further study the issue.
Contact the write: bwoolsey@lbregister.com, 562-277-8343 (Click to view original article)
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