In 2002, over 70% of voters in Florida approved the ban for people to stop smoking cigarettes in their workplaces and other public spots where people gather like restaurants or canteens for health reasons. The ban in itself was to ensure that people who don’t smoke are not forced to suffer the consequences of tobacco by inhaling it passively. However, in 2002, vaping had not fully made its grand entrance into the market, and the wordings of the law did not cover for it and was not written against it.
Fast-forward ten years later and the e-cigarette made a grand entrance and acceptance into the industry was massive. For some reasons it was readily accepted because the price of switching from tobacco to vapor was far lower. One could spend only $50 buying a vape as against spending over $200 on packs of cigarettes monthly.
Also, e-cigarette was seen as a lesser evil to smoking tobacco health-wise. This is because it is believed that the nicotine level present in vapes is less than that present in tobacco. Also, it is believed that the rate of liver and heart disease caused by smoking tobacco is greatly reduced in vaping. In fact, in 2015, the Public Health England gave vaping a five-star review when it reported that e-cigarettes are 95% less harmful than tobacco.
The final reason people also embraced vaping with both hands is that it comes in different flavors and can become a habit for enjoyment. People now pick the e-liquid of their choice and vape their preferred flavor as they want. This they couldn’t get from tobacco.
But in 2016, a general report suggested that aerosols from e-cigarettes puffed out into the public can be potentially harmful to others. This became bad news for vapers, and this was also the basis for the Commission revising the constitution of Florida to vote against public vaping and hence putting a ban to vaping in Florida. However, a last vote is slated to happen sometime in November this year.
Lisa Carlton, a former state senator, is the major proponent of this vote against vaping. She opines that the residents of Florida have been exposed to passive vaping when they visit open places like restaurants and movie theatres which to her, it ought not to be. Carlton thought that it was about time restaurants, movie theaters, malls, cinema halls and other public areas are cleaned up, Floridians can breathe clear, pure and unpolluted air again, which according to her was the basis of the constitutional amendment of 2002. This anti-vaping amendment which will relegate the use of vapes to smoking areas will appear on the ballot in November for a final vote. This will allow for voters to decide on a final ban on vaping or not.
The Commission holds meetings every 20 years to discuss, review and make updates to the Florida Constitution and this commission also has the authority to put issues to the people through a ballot vote even without the approval from the state lawmakers.
Chris Zasada
Chris is a Midwest Transplant that has lived in South Florida since 1999. While he likes to remain active and is an avid sports enthusiast, he's become our go-to provider of reviews of any establishment serving food and booze!