Dallas May Ban E-Cigarette Use in Public Places

According to a Dallasnews report on October 9, a city advisory group in Dallas has recommended that, for the sake of public health, the city should follow other major Texas cities and ban the use of e-cigarettes in public places.

The city’s Environmental Commission recommended adopting a policy restricting e-cigarette use. Candace Thompson, chair of the commission’s Environmental Health Committee, said this is because “there is an association between inhaling aerosol vapor and adverse health effects among vulnerable populations.”

In August, the commission unanimously approved a recommendation to expand the city’s 2016 smoking ban, including prohibiting the use of nicotine and non-nicotine e-cigarette products in most public places, while allowing some exceptions, such as in bars, restaurants, and parks managed by private partners.

Dallas City Council member Kathy Stewart said she has seen the recommendation in a memo. However, before the city council takes action, her committee has not yet discussed or voted to support the ban.

Austin banned e-cigarettes in 2017, and Houston joined the ban in 2022.

Despite regulatory hurdles from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and patchwork bans across the country, e-cigarette sales have continued to rise steadily, amid criticism over marketing tactics seen as targeting youth. According to the 2021 National Health Interview Survey, more than one in ten young people use e-cigarette products.

E-cigarette devices became popular worldwide in the early 21st century and have been used by smokers as an alternative to quit traditional cigarettes or other tobacco products, which have been shown to be associated with negative health outcomes such as cancer.