City Council Minutes 2014 07 15 - Laserfiche WebLink

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City Council Meeting Minutes July 15, 2014 Page 14 of 21 Acting Deputy City Manager Muth explained the Council adopted the City's existing smoking regulations in 2002. The draft ordinance updates those regulations in four specific areas regarding smoking in public meetings and smoking in public places: 1. Revised definitions: This revised definition of "smoking" closely resembles the State's definition under the Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act and added a definition for tobacco to match the State's definition. 2. Marijuana: The use of medical and recreational marijuana is now legal under Article XVIII, §§ 14 and 16 of the Colorado Constitution, but the public use of marijuana remains unlawful. The ordinance amends the definitions to include a ban on smoking marijuana in a public meeting or in a public place. 3. Electronic cigarettes: The ordinance adds a definition for electronic smoking devices and bans their use along with tobacco and marijuana. This addition is in response to patrons using e- cigarettes at the Recreation Center and the Library. The Federal Drug Administration recently issued a proposed rule to regulate e- cigarettes. The safety and efficacy of e- cigarettes has not been fully studied. Right now there is no way of knowing how much nicotine or other potentially harmful chemicals are being inhaled by users and /or bystanders. These products are not considered to be safe or effective replacements for other tobacco products. 4. Smoking in entryways: The ordinance includes a ban on smoking within 15 feet of a doorway. This change aligns our regulations with the Colorado Clean Air Act, which defines an entryway to include the 15 feet outside of a doorway. City Council has the option to alter to a greater or shorter distance. There are two versions of the ordinance, one which includes the Boulder Health Department's recommendation of a 15 -foot ban on smoking near an air intake site of a building (air intakes, open windows). Both versions also include a revised definition of "Entryway" to include multiple public entrances. PUBLIC COMMENTS Tamara Chapman, 205 Bruse Street, Brush, Colorado stated she has been a vaper since November and is a founding member of the Northeastern Colorado Vaper Society. She submitted a packet of information to the City Council, which included recent studies on vaping. She explained she and her husband quit smoking and use vapor cigarettes. She felt it has been beneficial to their health. She agreed the youth population should not have vapers, the packaging should be childproof and there should be public education. She stated using the vapor cigarettes is actually helping people to quit smoking.