South Dakota has moved to ban electronic cigarettes on the campuses of three of its largest healthcare providers. The change was made Monday as an amendment to an extensive no-tobacco policy already in place. The original policy came into effect in 2006, banning the use of all tobacco products anywhere on hospital campuses.
Providers behind the ban include Regional Health of Rapid City, Avera McKennan of Sioux Falls and Sanford Health of Sioux Falls. While Dale Gisi, director of human resources at Regional Health stands behind the policy, the electronic cigarette ban has many up in arms as seems it contradict even the “no-tobacco” policy name.
E-cigarettes, argue manufacturers and users– contain no tobacco. Some (zero nicotine strengths are available) contain liquid nicotine and various ingredients and they emit an odor-free water vapor. This vapor is inhaled and exhaled like smoke but does not contain the carcinogenic ingredients or second-hand risks of cigarette smoke.
Electronic cigarettes have seen a boom in South Dakota after a statewide smoking ban was voted into effect in November 2010.
While conclusive studies are still being conducted on the safety of electronic cigarettes, evidence has shown they are far more effective than nicotine gums and patches.
According to Gisi, Regional policymakers believe e-cigarettes pose health risks and therefore included them in the new policy.
“We believe it’s important to model healthy behaviors,” says Gisi, leading many to see the ban as an invasion on their human rights.
“Banning electronic cigarettes is both counterproductive and premature”, says Rapid City resident Sean Jenkins. “E-cigarettes are helping people to quit smoking. Shouldn’t that be supported by health care advocates?”
“This is not modeling healthy behaviors; this is enforcing behaviors that others believe as unhealthy. This is prohibition, says Jenkins. “Are they going to ban cupcakes and candy bars next due to rising health insurance costs from obesity? This has gone too far.”
source article : www.vaporacademy.com
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