New Law Bans E-Cigarettes In Scarsdale Schools

SCARSDALE, NY - A newly enacted state law makes it illegal to possess electronic cigarettes on school properties.

The legislation was signed into law by Gov. Andrew Cuomo on July 25, according to the state senate's website.

Under a previously enacted law, according to the website, the state defines an e-cigarette as "an electronic device that delivers vapor which is inhaled by an individual user, and shall include any refill, cartridge and any other component of such a device."

Accompanying justification text argues that the legislation is needed as part of an effort to regulate a product not being overseen by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

"E-cigarettes are not currently regulated by the FDA and are not subject to tobacco laws since they do not contain tobacco," the text states. "This lack of oversight is placing individuals at risk because there is little known about the chemical make-up of the liquid nicotine or the harm to individuals from inhaling the water vapor directly or through secondhand exposure."

The legislation is meant to keep e-cigarettes away from minors, according to the explanatory text.

A link to the new law can be found on the state senate's website.

Photo: An e-cigarette. Image is by Jacek Halicki, published on Wikimedia Commons and made available via a Creative Commons license.