Proposal to Regulate the Use of E-Cigarettes in Boca Raton Fails

The proposal to regulate the use of e-cigarettes in public places in the City of Boca Raton was dissipated Tuesday night due to the growing concern there was too little medical information about them.

The City Council voted 3-2 to throw out the ordinance that would have limited e-cig use in public places, just as tobacco is prohibited in certain public places.

In January, Delray Beach passed an ordinance that limited e-cig use the same way that tobacco use is prohibited in public places.

The same kind of city law was proposed by Boca Councilwoman Constance Scott after she experienced an unpleasant odor while near an e-cigarette user. “There’s a great deal more to know about these products,” Scott said. “But there’s a great deal to be concerned about.”

But only Mayor Susan Haynie supported Scott’s effort. She said she had spoken to a restaurant owner who told her that e-cig use was disruptive in restaurants because other diners found it offensive.

Councilman Robert Weinroth said the city needs to wait for the Legislature to include e-cigarettes in its prohibition.

“There needs to be a statewide, uniform system of regulating e-cigarette use rather than a patchwork of municipal regulation,” he said.