A Los Angeles city councilman has proposed banning all e-cigarettes and vaping devices in the city — a measure that would be one of the most extreme steps yet to curb an outbreak of lung illnesses linked to vaping.
The proposal, introduced at Tuesday’s City Council meeting, would prohibit the sale of e-cigarette and vaping devices until they are deemed safe by the Food and Drug Administration. Since the FDA has not approved any such devices, the law would essentially ban all of them. San Francisco passed a similar law earlier this year.
“The reports of illness and death caused by unregulated vaping devices is a public health crisis,” reads the motion introduced by Councilman Paul Koretz. “Los Angeles is not content to wait and do nothing as the numbers of illnesses and even deaths associated with unregulated vaping devices increases daily.”
Koretz’s proposal to ban all vaping products was referred to a council committee focused on health, which would vet the idea before deciding whether to send it along to the full council for a vote. If passed, it would direct city lawyers to draft an ordinance for council approval.
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