Baxter, Minn. Council Reverses Decision to Allow Minors in Vape Shops

Photo by BaxterMN.gov

Last month, the Baxter, Minn. City Council approved the ordinance that would treat e-cigarettes the same was as analog cigarettes. The ordinance prohibits vaping anywhere smoking is prohibited by the Minnesota Clean Indoor Air Act. No one under 18 was allowed in a vape shop. However a couple of weeks later, parents and business owners became concerned that children would be “left in hot or cold cars or simply left along while parents or guardians went into the store,” according to the Brainerd Dispatch.

While some of the council members and city health officials wanted to keep the original language to not allow children in vape shops, the council ultimately voted to reverse its decision.

Council member Quinn Nystrom said at the meeting that her concern in taking this stand was for the parents, guardians of the children and store owners.

“We don’t want to put them in harmful environment,” Nystrom said, noting a single parent stated it was an issue at an earlier meeting. Nystrom said they didn’t want to lead to another issue to leave kids in the car.

Council member Steve Barrows “asked how far the council should go in telling people how to parent. He also was concerned with children left in vehicles in hot or cold extremes. Barrows said his mother was a smoker and he was exposed to secondhand smoke. He noted the children will be exposed to that behavior in their parents’ vehicles and in their homes. So he questioned how the amended ordinance was protecting them. Barrows reminded the council children are allowed in bars until 10 p.m. ‘So that’s where my conflict comes in,’ Barrows said. ‘Are we telling these people how to parent their kids?’” the Brainderd Dispatch reports.

Katie Gruber, program specialist with CentraCare Health in St. Cloud said that you can’t control what happens when you leave the shops, but you can control rules that are set in the community. “To be honest there is no other Minnesota community that allows minors in a tobacco products shop. You guys would be the absolute first community to do that,” she said.

For the full story, visit http://www.brainerddispatch.com/news/3938873-baxter-city-council-reverses-course-e-cig-regulations.

 

Baxter, Minn. Council Reverses Decision to Allow Minors in Vape Shops