Because of their flavors and appeal to children, Marion County Commissioners spent the past month considering fines and jail time for people who sell them to minors.
Johnny Vapor, who sells electronic cigarettes inside Ocala’s Paddock Square Mall, said he keeps his product behind glass.
Vapor’s biggest problem with the ordinance is the restrictions also put on adults and where they can use electronic cigarettes.
“It’s not smoke. There’s no tobacco. It’s vapor, essentially steam,” he said.
Tuesday, he and other tobacco retail owners armed with petitions took their fight to the Marion County Commission, but faced opposition from a group of middle school students.
“When they see people smoking the e-cigarettes, they will think ‘oh smoking is OK,’" middle school student Elena Mcclure told the commissioners.
“Kids can get addicted very fast because of their small bodies,” Alexis, another middle school student, said.
Commissioner David Moore explained why he was voting not only to ban the sale of the new age cigarettes to children, but also trying to keep users away from them.
“I have a 9-year-old son and I don’t want my children being exposed to secondhand vaping,” Moore said.
The decision was unanimous. Electronic cigarettes are banned from the same places traditional cigarettes are under Florida’s Clean Indoor Air Act.
Even Vapor said he was impressed with the children’s efforts.
“I give them kudos. I wouldn’t have been able to do that when I was their age," he said. "At the same time, I don’t market to kids. Yeah, we’ve got hundreds of flavors, but I’ve never sold to anyone under 18.”
Anyone caught selling to minors or using electronic cigarettes in banned public places will get a warning for their first offense. After that, each offense carries up to a $500 fine or 60 days in jail.