New Smoke Free West Virginia legislation doesn't include e-cigarettes

[Bill Godshall]

WV Democrat State Senator Dan Foster (a physician from Kanawha County) introduced the Smoke Free West Virginia Act (SB 28) last week, which would ban smoking in workplaces, but not the use of e-cigarettes.

It's possible that our continuous opposition (at monthy meetings from June to December) of the Ohio County Board of Health's proposal to ban e-cigarette use may have influenced Senator Foster's (and perhaps the WV Health Dept, ACS, ALA and AHA) decision to not include e-cigarette use in SB 28's definition of smoking.

Regardless, SB 28 defines smoking as:

(16) "Smoke" or "smoking" means the carrying, smoking, burning, inhaling or exhaling of any kind of lighted pipe, cigar, cigarette, hookah, weed, herbs, or any other lighted smoking equipment.
Senate Bill 28 Text

The bill was referred to the WV Senate Health and Human Resources Committee, chaired by Democrat Sen. Ron Stollings (a physician from Boone County). Foster is also on the Health and Human Resources Committee.

Democrats control the WV Senate and House, and the Governor is a Democrat.

More info on bill and WV legislature is at:
West Virginia Legislature

Directory of WV Legislature is at
http://www.legis.state.wv.us/legisdocs/2012/misc/membership_directory_2012.pdf

 

[Dougiestyle]

Good news! Let's hope more jurisdictions follow this example. IIRC Tennessee's definition reads similarly. I have the .pdf downloaded on my android for legal reference should I need it while out and about.

 

[dordas23]

Good news, indeed! Let's hope more legislators take this enlightened approach to vaping.

 

[Ruppy]

Thanks for the info Bill Nice to see West Virginia do something right for a change and not 10 years after every other state has done it .......

Now to keep an eye on them through the process.

 

[ByStander1]

Thank You for Everything, Bill!!! (always)

 

[wfx]

nice work. WV gets a bad rap.

 

[jj2]

I likey this bill.

And thank you Bill.