The ban is part of an effort to further protect the public’s health and improve the quality of life for everyone.
SAN ANTONIO — Vaping is now banned in San Antonio wherever smoking is banned, a direct result of an ordinance passed by city council in October.
It’s an effort to further protect the public’s health and improve the quality of life for everyone, according to Metro Health who has been trying to pass this ordinance since 2017.
“In San Antonio, back in 2017, we, we decided we wanted to start to address this issue,” said Kathy Shields, the Chronic Disease Prevention Manager for Metro Health. “The use of these electronic smoking devices is, in fact, harmful and dangerous. Not only to the person who is inhaling the the vapor, but also the vapor that comes off of these devices into the community is also harmful.”
Texas state law already bans e-cigarettes in certain places. Those that disobey state law, can get a Class C misdemeanor, paying a fine of up to $500. This ordinance requires businesses to include the electronic smoking device icon on signs prohibiting smoking. The icons for both cigarette and e-cigarette should be enclosed in the standard red circle with a red bar across them, and will be required for every public place and place of employment where smoking is currently prohibited.
“For any organization or business that doesn’t, we just want to encourage them to find the sign that meets the new requirements,” Shields said. “Smoking is currently restricted indoors. In, in public buildings. Also in many outdoor spaces that are public, such as parks, the zoo, all of the indoor places that you would think, restaurants, hotels, banks, theaters, sporting venues, those places all restrict smoking.”
Shields also explains there is a possibility that businesses could be fined down the road, but considering the ordinance went into effect on January 1, it won’t happen right now.
“We will not use that, for quite a while to make sure that, everyone understands that this is a change and that we want to make sure that, you know, everyone understands the new policies and then has a chance to implement them in their establishments,” she said. “If any member of the public notices someone who is smoking in a place where they should not be smoking, then they should report that establishment to the city of San Antonio. And then our team will reach out to the owners of the establishment and help them.”
To learn more, and to download a sign created by Metro Health for businesses, click HERE.