Another metro Phoenix city is considering a ban on where residents can vape.
The Buckeye City Council decided at a January work session to vote on regulating vaping at a future meeting, which would make it the third Valley city to do so. Goodyear in September raised the smoking and vaping age to 21 and banned vaping in public places like parks, trails and schools. Tempe in 2014 passed a similar ban without raising the smoking age.
Feds make 21 the law of the land
Federal regulations have tightened since then, too. President Donald Trump in December signed legislation that raised the federal minimum age for tobacco product sales, which include e-cigarettes, to 21.
A vaping ordinance for Buckeye has not been scheduled for a vote yet, though Mayor Jackie Meck said it could happen as soon as next month.
Meck said he’d like to prohibit vaping in public places and update the city’s smoking and vaping age to 21, bringing the city up to speed with the feds.
Goodyear leaders adopted strict rules partly in hopes of kickstarting statewide regulation. But Meck said he’s not going to wait for the state Legislature to act.
“I’m not planning on waiting on anybody,” he said. “In my opinion, the sooner the better.”
“I would love to see the state act because our boundaries only go so far,” Councilwoman Sheri Lauritano said at the time.
State Sen. Heather Carter, R-Cave Creek, in November said she would sponsor legislation that will regulate e-cigarettes as tobacco products, require retailers that sell them to get licenses and undergo annual inspections.
Buckeye officials are also considering taking after Tucson’s restrictions, which requires employees to card customers that appear younger than 30.
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