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CARMEL, Ind. — The Carmel City Council unanimously voted to pass an ordinance that bans the use of electronic cigarettes in public places.
Vaping will now be included in the city’s smoke-free law, which applies to school buses, libraries, trails and parks. The proposal also extends the ban to bars except for establishments that already allow it. Three places that allow smoking–Nipper’s Grill & Tap, Old Town Tavern and Jimmy B’s Pub–can continue to do so as long as they remain in business.
Private clubs can allow smoking unless there’s an event that is largely public in nature.
Carmel is one of the first cities in the country to ban the smoking of e-cigarettes in public. Last month, San Francisco passed even stricter regulations that effectively banned the sales of e-cigarettes in the city.
Carmel officials cited the known risks of secondhand smoke as the reason behind the ban. The ordinance will go into effect once Mayor Jim Brainard signs it.
