NYSSA Urges All New Yorkers to Stand Up Against Councilman Gennaro and the Proposed Treatment of Electronic Cigarettes as a Tobacco Cigarette

NEW YORK, Dec. 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- New Yorkers for Smarter Smoking Alternatives (NYSSA) was formed to educate the public on electronic cigarettes, which are a safer smoking alternative.  The day before Thanksgiving, at the eleventh hour, the New York City Council introduced a bill sponsored by James Gennaro that would ban electronic cigarette use in all locations where tobacco cigarette use is banned - commonly known as the Smoke Free Air Act. 

NYSSA asserts that this regulation is incredibly premature and unreasonable. The long term effects of electronic cigarettes are currently unknown, so any passage of this bill would be premature.  Regulation should be commensurate with harm. Prematurely regulating this inherently different product the same way as traditional tobacco is unjustified, especially when other tobacco alternatives – like nicotine patches and gum – are not subject to the same restrictions. Electronic cigarettes are completely distinct from tobacco cigarettes; therefore, they should be regulated differently.  NYSSA believes that New York City Council Members need to thoroughly research the effects of electronic cigarettes before implementing any further regulations.

"It is clear that electronic cigarettes and tobacco cigarettes are inherently different products that should be regulated separately and distinctly," says NYSSA Spokesman David Schwartz. "Council Member Gennaro seems to think it is safer to use other tobacco products in bars, such as hookah, rather than electronic cigarettes.  This is unfounded and hypocritical. Gennaro thinks he can choose to ban electronic cigarettes just because he feels like it." 

NYSSA believes this legislation was hastily set in motion. More time should be given to the federal government to weigh in on the proper way to approach electronic cigarette regulation.  NYSSA does not suggest that electronic cigarettes be free from regulation, but rather insist that it be reasonably regulated.

The coalition emphasizes that there is simply a lack of adequate information and conclusive scientific studies to draw such a close comparison between electronic cigarettes, which consists of the release of water vapor, and tobacco.  Even during Health Commissioner Farley's testimony at the public hearing on electronic cigarettes, he admitted that electronic cigarettes "are so new, we know very little about them."  

NYSSA stands strong in opposition to this premature bill and urges all New Yorkers to tell the members in City Council to vote against the ban. 

For more information, please visit
http://nysmartsmoke.org/
http://gothamgr.com/

SOURCE New Yorkers for Smarter Smoking Alternatives (NYSSA)