Oklahoma town bans e-cigarettes on public property

The city of Ada really has it out for smokers, even those who choose to go smokeless with e-cigarettes.

The Ada City Council has banned the use of tobacco products on public property that includes a surprising prohibition on electronic cigarettes.

After receiving assurances that a measure at Monday’s meeting of the City Council would be an age restriction that extended to electronic cigarettes, defenders of tobacco alternatives were shocked to discover the ordinance was an extensive ban on public use of tobacco — including e-cigarettes, which do not contain tobacco and do not produce smoke.

In the end, the council was closely divided, approving the ban 3-2.

Community leaders, including MayorGreg McCortney and Vice-Mayor Shane Sweeney, were among the opponents. Both are newcomers to the board for the southeast Oklahoma town, population 17,000-plus. They were elected in the spring.

Shawn Gore, chairman of the Oklahoma Vapors Advocacy League,said he learned just hours before Monday evening’s meeting the ordinance included the anti-e-cigarette language. Gore owns a store that sells e-cigarettes.

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