National Park Service Curbs E-Cigarette Smoking

The National Park Service banned the use of “electronic smoking devices”, including e-cigarettes, in all places where tobacco smoking is prohibited in America’s 408 national parks.

In a public statement, Director Jonathan B. Jarvis said that because the health and safety of park-goers and employees is a priority, “We are therefore extending the restrictions now in place protecting visitors and employees from exposure to tobacco smoke to include exposure to vapor from electronic smoking devices”.

The National Park Service banned vaping in certain areas of their parks.

The science on e-cigs and secondhand smoke is still being investigated and debated; the National Park Service memo on the subject says the devices emit about one-tenth the amount as regular cigarettes.

[SURVEY: E-Cigarette Users Would Ignore Bans, Turn to Black Market].

You can’t vape at National Parks any longer. It says that the decision was made “out of an abundance of caution in light of the scientific findings and uncertainty to date, and in the interest of equity”. Parking lots and sidewalks are generally exempt. Basically, if there’s a no smoking sign it means no vaping too.

There are no reported cases of an electronic cigarette contributing to an outdoor fire, though the report cited the possibility of the devices’ powerful batteries to start a fire.

According to data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention electronic cigarette use among teens has surpassed traditional cigarette use for the first time. “This behavior is shameful and any enforcement of the ban will constitute a great misuse of government resources”.

The vote comes as experts continue to disagree on the effects of e-cigarettes. Are trans-fats and salt also banned in National Parks? “Currently, there are no e-cigarettes approved by FDA for therapeutic uses so they can not be recommended as a cessation aid”.