Round Rock City Council votes on vaping restrictions - KEYE TV

A local vapor shop offers their own take on a familiar message of hope. (CBS Austin Photo)


UPDATE: The Round Rock City Council approved Thursday night the first reading of the update to the city's smoking ordinance to include vaping.

It passed 6-0 (one council member is on vacation). The second and final reading will take place Thursday, Sept. 8, according to City of Round Rock Spokesperson Will Hampton.

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EARLIER:

Vapor enthusiasts have long promoted vaping as a safe way to quit smoking, but tonight the Round Rock City Council may vote to treat e-cigarette users much like smokers.

Vapers in Round Rock are wondering where this came from? They argue their product is nothing like smoking and doesn’t have the same health consequences. But something in the air tells city leaders here in Round Rock now is the time to snuff out vaping in public places.

Courtney Mendoza’s personal efforts to quit smoking led her to open her first vapor shop in Round Rock which grew to three vapor shops and an online business. Mendoza adds, “Just for an example of the kind of business we do, Round Rock has collected $871,000 in sales tax from us, just from our shop alone.”

But Mendoza feels her business is threatened by the new restrictions the Round Rock City Council will consider tonight. Round Rock City Communications Director Will Hampton explains, “You won’t be able to vape in places where you cannot smoke today which is most public places, restaurants, theaters, offices, that sort of thing.”

The city says health concerns are behind the move. Hampton says, “For a lot of folks it feels like smoking. And again there’s that second-hand nature of it that makes people uncomfortable and is potentially unhealthy.”

But the vapor shops counter that science is on their side. Charlie Hodge is public affairs director for Mendoza’s All About Vapor shops. He says, “The Royal College of Physicians out of London has deemed it 95 percent less harmful than combusted cigarette smoke.”

But here in the US the CDC is sticking with it’s position that “no conclusive evidence supports e-cigarettes as a safe and effective cessation tool.” Meanwhile Mendoza worries about former smokers being forced into designated smoking areas. She says, ““Why would you want to keep inhaling something you don’t do anymore. Lots of these people don’t even do nicotine anymore.”

Tonight is the first reading and vote on the vaping restrictions. If approved, it will require one more vote by the city council before it becomes law.