Lexington’s smoking ban could be expanded if the Urban County Council chooses to implement a Fayette County Board of Health recommendation.
In a 9-0 vote Monday, the board left no doubt where they stand on the increasingly popular e-cigarette trend. The members were voting on whether to recommend the inclusion of e-cigarettes in the city’s anti-smoking ordinance.
The board heard testimony from Dr. Ellen Hahn, director of the Kentucky Center for Smoke-Free Policy, who says the smoking alternative presents its own risks – in the form of tiny particles and metals that can be breathed deep into the lungs.
"There have been studies that show that the particles that come from an e-cigarette can reach concentrations that are almost as high as Lexington before our law. So really we're mostly concerned about it from an air pollution standpoint," she says.
If an amendment is approved, e-cigarettes would be banned in all the locations where tobacco smoking is currently prohibited.
The decision is now in the hands of the Urban County Council.
