[OPLINLIST] summary of responses on electronic cigarettes

[Cass Owens]

As usual I received some excellent advice after I posed this question on
our list.

There are some good articles out there which relate to e-cigarettes and
airports/airlines.  Basically the TSA is leaving the policy to individual
places and providers because there is no legislation specific to
 e-cigarette use.

They do make note of an odor and emissions which could be offensive to
other patrons.  There are other articles (cited below) which refer to
potential health risks.

Andrew Mayer had posed this question earlier and he sent a great summary
which I will reproduce here:

Hello,


I asked this question on the list serve not too long ago. The use of
e-cigarettes is now prohibited at my library, as their use relates to our
tobacco product policy. Here are my findings and the responses that I
received in regards to e-cigarettes and related policies.


Essentially an e-cigarette is an electronic device that vaporizes nicotine.
This vapor is inhaled by the user. Here are some links that explain exactly
what they are and how they work.


http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2012/04/do-e-cigarettes-help-smokers-quit/index.htm


http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm225210.htm


This one is from a manufacturer, but the videos are helpful.
http://www.blucigs.com/how-it-works-premium100


Here is one about a recent court decision. The court held that e-cigarettes
can be regulated by the FDA as "tobacco products."

http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/PublicHealthFocus/ucm252360.htm


These links deal with the potential health risks associated with
e-cigarettes.


http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm173401.htm


http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ProtectYourself/HealthFraud/ucm267560.htm


I thought that this document was particularly helpful, especially the
section on secondhand smoke. This one also has a nice bibliography.

http://www.tobaccofreeutah.org/pdfs/E-Cigarette1.pdf


I copy and pasted the responses that I received from other libraries.


Hi Andrew,


Below is the email message I sent to our staff when we first encountered
the e-cigarette issue.  It has been sufficient for our needs thus far.
 Hope it helps you decide what to do.


Greetings,


Today we had our first experience with a customer using an electronic
cigarette in the library.  An e-cigarette looks exactly like a real
cigarette; the tip of it even lights up when you puff on the device.
 E-cigarettes create no smoke but deliver vaporized nicotine to the person
puffing on it.  They are marketed as a means of quitting smoking.
This*Consumer
Reports *article contains the details, if you're interested:
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2012/04/do-e-cigarettes-help-smokers-quit/index.htm


Anyway, the question arose:  should we allow e-cigarettes in the library?
 They are not a tobacco product, create no smoke or byproduct that would
affect others, and in Ohio are not legal or illegal—the law is silent on
this matter.


Taking into account the family-friendly atmosphere we strive to create at
the library, we have decided electronic cigarettes are NOT welcome in our
building.  E-cigarettes look so much like the real thing that children
would not be able to tell the difference.  We don't want to give the
impression we tacitly promote smoking.


Today, when I approached the person puffing away on her e-cigarette, I
immediately acknowledged I know electronic cigarettes are not illegal;
however, I asked her to put it away as a courtesy to the children in the
library.  I said, "Knowing how difficult it is to stop smoking, do you
really want to serve as a role model to the children who won't be able to
tell your cigarette isn't real?"  She tucked it away in her purse without a
word of protest.


I realize not everyone may be as reasonable as this woman was.  If you see
someone smoking an electronic cigarette in the library and feel reluctant
to speak to the person yourself, please alert me, a manager, or the
Librarian-in-Charge.  We'll be happy to take care of the situation.


Thanks,

Karen


Karen Albury

Deputy Director

Westerville Public Library

126 South State Street

Westerville, OH 43081-2095

Phone: 614-882-7277, ext. 2168

FAX:  614-882-5369

kalbury at westervillelibrary.org

My response has been to ban them like cigarettes. It looks like a cigarette
and produces the same end result for the using. And to the eyes of a child
appears that someone is smoking. And we don't promote that in our library.
So I kick them out. Zero tolerance for that or chewing tobacco.


Ed Worso, Director

Henderson Memorial Public Library

54 E Jefferson St

Jefferson OH  44047


We have the following  as part of our patron behavior policy:



·         *The following activities are prohibited on library property:*

o   The possession of a firearm or weapon

o   The possession,  consumption, or sale of illegal substances or alcohol

o   *The use of tobacco products or electronic substitutes*

o   Fighting, hitting, or physical or verbal abuse

o   Harassment

o   Gambling, buying, selling, or soliciting for personal or commercial gain

o   Any illegal activity

o   Persons who are under the influence of alcohol or an illegal substance
will be asked to leave immediately.



We have had no problems implementing this. Staff who use e-cigarettes must
do so outside.



Hope that helps,

Rachel

For Reed Memorial Library I plan to amend one entry in our behavior policy
as follows:

*Current*:  *Use of tobacco, alcohol and/or unauthorized drugs in any form
anywhere on library**property (inside or outside) is not allowed.*

*Revised:*  *Use of tobacco products (or electronic substitutes), alcohol
and/or unauthorized drugs in any form anywhere on library **property
(inside or outside) is not allowed.*


CASS OWENS, DIRECTOR
Reed Memorial Library
167 E. Main St.
Ravenna, OH 44266

phone: 330-296-2827, ext 101
fax: 330-296-3870




If you have received this email in error please notify the system manager.
Please note that any views or opinions presented in this email are solely
those
of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Reed Memorial
Library.
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