Bloomington Passes Ordinance To Ban E-Cigs In Indoor Public Spaces
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- With the increasing popularity of e-cigarettes, many cities are taking action to ban the use of them in certain places.
On Monday night, the City of Bloomington passed an ordinance banning e-cigarette users from lighting up in most public indoor spaces.
"A decade ago, the Bloomington City Council showed its commitment to public health when it amended our ordinances in favor of smoke-free workspaces and public places," Bloomington city council member Cynthia Bemis Abrams said. "(Monday's) vote aligns limits on e-cigarettes to regular cigarettes, so that our local businesses can be consistent with enforcement, and our residents and visitors can be confident that the air they breathe, in their offices or in a restaurant, is clean."
Bloomington will also prohibit smoking in parks and raised minimum price point for single cigars at $2.60 each.
Minneapolis also moved a step closer to an e-cigarette ban Monday when its city council committee voted in favor of an ordinance that would add e-cigarettes in the same category as traditional cigarettes. The full city council will make a final decision on Dec. 5, 2014.