Bloomington cracks down on e-cigs and cheap cigars

[Big Dave2]

I'm not a smoker and I don't know very much about these e-cigs so I have a question for our liberal members here.

What do you folks have against these e-cigs? Why are you fighting them at every turn? It seems like it should be something you would get behind. From what I see they help people quit smoking the nasty stuff and they cut into the profits of big tobacco (which I'm sure most liberals love). So, what's the problem?

Quote:

Bloomington cracks down on e-cigs and cheap cigars

Article by: JOHN REINAN , Star Tribune Updated: November 18, 2014 - 8:16 PM

Bloomington is the latest Minnesota city to get tough on e-cigarettes. The City Council passed a new ordinance 7-0 on Monday night that bans e-cigarette use in most public places and bans sampling in stores where e-cigarettes are sold.

The council’s action puts an end to “vaping” in two e-cigarette retailers operating in the city.

The council also cracked down on sales of cheap cigars, which health officials said are popular with young people. The ordinance requires cigars to be sold in packages of at least five, unless the individual cigars cost more than $2.60 apiece.

Council members and health officials focused on the possible health risks of e-cigarettes, while vaping advocates stressed its effectiveness to help people quit smoking tobacco.

“The proposals before you today are not groundbreaking. They are common sense,” said Molly Moilanen, representing a coalition of health organizations including ClearWay Minnesota, the American Lung Association, the American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association.

Angie Griffith, who co-owns several e-cigarette retailers in Bloomington and other cities, said the ordinance would harm her business and its 25 employees. “We’re not Big Tobacco,” she said. “We’re a thriving, responsible small business.”

[delcecchi]

It's racist. Gotta stop kids from buying and smoking blunts. Sometimes they even have tobacco in them. /sarcasm

[chasineyes]

You want the honest reason...BECAUSE THEY CAN!! Bottom line, what are you going to do about it? Move, quit your job, etc.... The public (in this case is a bunch of wimps) However try and make a guy wear a helmet on a cycle and LOOK OUT, you DON"T screw with that crowd. It's just another extension from the federal to the state to the county to the city to the school district.

They have the control and the power....

[Admin Note: Please read Forum Policy before posting again. Thank you]

[delcecchi]

Add Olmsted Co. to the list.

Quote:

E-cigarettes will be banned in businesses and public places in Olmsted County – basically the same places that normal smoking is banned – starting on Jan. 1.

The Olmsted County Board of Commissioners OK'd the vaping additions to the Smoke-Free Workplace Ordinance, which originally was passed in 2007, at a board meeting Tuesday. The county held a public hearing on the policy, but no one from the general public commented.

According to the ordinance, e-cigarettes (and regular cigarettes) are banned in public places and workplaces, outdoor dining and bar areas and within 15 feet of entrances to public places and businesses. The policy defines public spaces to include public parks and playgrounds if anyone younger than 18 is around.

Put simply, "e-cigarettes are clearly defined as tobacco products and the use of e-cigarettes or vaping is defined as smoking," said the county's Associate Director of Public Health Dawn Beck.

[Kidd]

I was in a bar Sat and some lady not more than 10 feet away was hitting one of these and quite frankly, I couldn't smell a thing. If I didn't see her pulling on it I would have never known she was using it. I see this as just another punitive attack on smokers, nothing more, nothing less.

[swamptiger]

They know what's best for us....

[leech~~]

I'm not a smoker and I don't know very much about these e-cigs so I have a question for our liberal members here.

What do you folks have against these e-cigs? Why are you fighting them at every turn? It seems like it should be something you would get behind. From what I see they help people quit smoking the nasty stuff and they cut into the profits of big tobacco (which I'm sure most liberals love). So, what's the problem?

Because it hurts their sucking the profits away from their cash cow and they aren't able to collect any of the tobacco taxes or found a way to do it yet!

[smsmith]

I "kind of" get the cheap cigars, but the e-cigs...no way.

[PurpleFloyd]

Too many people want the government to control everything because they feel the citizens are incapable of making decisions for themselves. This is not exclusive to Liberals and at this point the self proclaimed conservatives might actually be worse.

[DTro]

Follow the money trail....

[pushbutton]

In this case, looking at press release, it does seem like "liberal do gooders". They are not banning them outright, but the no "hits in the shop" thing.....is probably a way to try to keep the Stepford's kids, Julie and Billy, from hanging out and spending time with the "wrong" crowd. Bet one of the council persons kid was dating some "loser" she met in the shop. The one blunt thing is probably related, but certainly, and not surprisingly, almost bizarre. Seems silly that Julie or Billy driving the family Lexus could not afford the 2.60, and if not, Richfield is not far away. Echo Floyd in that the conservative right has written the book on banning things.

[upnorth]

In this case, looking at press release, it does seem like "liberal do gooders". They are not banning them outright, but the no "hits in the shop" thing.....is probably a way to try to keep the Stepford's kids, Julie and Billy, from hanging out and spending time with the "wrong" crowd. Bet one of the council persons kid was dating some "loser" she met in the shop. The one blunt thing is probably related, but certainly, and not surprisingly, almost bizarre. Seems silly that Julie or Billy driving the family Lexus could not afford the 2.60, and if not, Richfield is not far away. Echo Floyd in that the conservative right has written the book on banning things.

You mean more like they want the govt to parent their kids for them?

[pushbutton]

Could be. Could be fear from yet another "gateway" drug. Maybe just a Stepford mom trying to leave a legacy.....or trying to one up a false face friend on the PTA....who knows.

[Big Dave2]

Really telling to me that there seems to be no support for this among any FM members, conservative or liberal. Who is supporting stuff like this and who is voting for these people?

[Uncle Bill]

Who is supporting stuff like this and who is voting for these people?

A.)

B.) The people scheeple of Bloomington.

[Slabasaurus]

Who is supporting stuff like this and who is voting for these people?

I don't know anyone who's supporting this kind of stuff...

The sweeter fruity flavors I tend to be able to smell more than other flavors. It's really annoying, I absolutely can't stand that smell. All I'll do is whine about it though. I reserve that right. (A lot of people back in the 1700's died to win that right for me - and all of us).

The one thing I wish wasn't happening is how these things seem to be increasingly "kid friendly." That kinda sucks. But not exactly 'new' when it comes to addictive substances...

[pushbutton]

The one thing I wish wasn't happening is how these things seem to be increasingly "kid friendly."

Think that is where most of this is stemming from.

On a somewhat of related note, well, not really, but kinda......anyone see the Marley Weed thing?

[Juneau4]

Part of the cigar issue is what they're adding to the cigar and it works best in the smaller cheaper cigars.

E-cigs are in competition with tobacco.

[Big Dave2]

I don't know anyone who's supporting this kind of stuff...

If Libasaurus can't even find a way to defend this...........

[Big Dave2]

Part of the cigar issue is what they're adding to the cigar and it works best in the smaller cheaper cigars.

My understanding is that you can still buy the smaller, cheaper cigars but they have to be sold in packs of 5 or more.

#nannystate

[delcecchi]

They haven't been able to sell single cigarettes for a long time, 20 appears to be the minimum.

[ted4887]

I've always been glad that I don't live in the metro. These stories just reinforce that feeling.

I've been using an e-cig for going on a month to help curb the miserable nicotine withdrawls that I was having from quitting tobacco. You know what though? I haven't touched any since picking this thing up. Today I bought my second bottle of liquid (juice they call it), and I was able to bring the nicotine level down to a very low level. And I enjoyed "vaping" in the store, so that I knew what I was getting. If you're even thinking about quitting, e-cigs are worth considering. You can kind of work your way down the scale of nicotine levels until you don't need it anymore. And even then, you can vape juice with no nicotine in it if you want to.

[Slabasaurus]

They haven't been able to sell single cigarettes for a long time, 20 appears to be the minimum.

I spent some time in Budapest after college and one of the interesting things there I found was cigs came in packs of 19. Apparently there was some tax that hit at 20 cigs per pack, so they just dropped one out.

Haven't been back for a while... I should change that. It's a really, really awesome city.

[Slabasaurus]

I've always been glad that I don't live in the metro. These stories just reinforce that feeling.

I've been using an e-cig for going on a month to help curb the miserable nicotine withdrawls that I was having from quitting tobacco. You know what though? I haven't touched any since picking this thing up. Today I bought my second bottle of liquid (juice they call it), and I was able to bring the nicotine level down to a very low level. And I enjoyed "vaping" in the store, so that I knew what I was getting. If you're even thinking about quitting, e-cigs are worth considering. You can kind of work your way down the scale of nicotine levels until you don't need it anymore. And even then, you can vape juice with no nicotine in it if you want to.

x2 on that last part. I was shocked to find out a buddy who's been smoking for 75% of his life had managed to cut out all niccotine and was just using nic-free juice to satisfy the throat hit/oral fixation dealy that is really tough to break once the physical addiction part is mitigated.

[MN Shutterbug]

I switched from a pack of cigarettes per day to e-cigs about 5 years ago. I have no desire for a cigarette anymore. I got tired of having to endure frigid temps to satisfy my habit and nobody complains to me about the vapor. I have no idea what is in the e-juice from China, but the e-juice manufactured in the U.S have just 4 ingredients. They are propylene glycol, (not what goes into anti freeze as some people think), vegetable glycerin (which can be found in many household products), nicotine (your choice as to the amount and which is not hazardous unless taken in it's pure form), and flavoring (of which there are probably thousands to choose from). The FDA, which I think is a very poorly run organization, says that e-cigs are too new and they haven't had a chance to fully test them yet to see if they're safe or not. What a bunch of malarkey. How long can it take to analyze 4 common ingredients? I joined an e-cig forum many years ago and there are many members who's doctors are amazed at how much their health and lung capacity has improved since making the switch. After all, there are over 4000 nasty chemicals in cigarette tobacco. I don't know what is wrong with our governments, from the city level all the way to the U.S. govt. They should be promoting this product instead of trying to figure out how to make it tougher for people to get off tobacco.

[FshBloodRiverMud]

Hmm. Interesting.

I've stayed away from ecig because I had no idea what was in them. Practically harmless you say?

[eyesonly]

Hmm. Interesting.

I've stayed away from an ecig because I had no idea what was in them. Practically harmless you say?

.

I was a pack a day smoker for the last 15 years and had tried everything to quit and never could. Every Gum and every pill. My doctor told me to give vaping a try after everything else failed. My doctor told me that vaping is completely harmless to your body. I straight up asked him , really nothing ? And he said he has not one concern with his patients vaping. . It will be one month tomorrow without a cig and I can't believe it. I feel like a new man just after the month. Its been a godsend.....

[MN Shutterbug]

Hmm. Interesting.

I've stayed away from ecig because I had no idea what was in them. Practically harmless you say?

That is correct, as long as you stick with American made e-juice. If you find a company with juices you want to try, inquire if they're made there. Most are up front with what goes into their juices. None of the ingredients I mentioned will harm you. I have no idea what juices from other countries are comprised of. You can learn a lot by searching for an online e-cig forum. The largest one has hundreds of thousands of members.

Good for you eyesonly.

[FshBloodRiverMud]

Nice.

I roll my own smokes, so already much less bad stuff in the bacco (especially taxes).

So I'm a solid pack to two a day. Only costs me $30 a month.

Cost of e ccig a lot?

Don't really want to quit for health reasons, but wouldn't mind getting rid of the smell that many many people do not enjoy.

[MN Shutterbug]

I pretty much chain vape and go thru about 2 1/2 ml. to 3 ml. per day. I try and find juice for about 40C per ml. so I get by for about a buck a day. Of course you may spend around $50 for the equipment to get started but overall it's quite economical. And I definitely agree about the smell. It's one of the main reasons I made the switch. Not only that, but e-juice tastes a heck of a lot better.