Alabama Senate votes to ban vaping in most public places

On Tuesday, the Alabama Senate voted to pass legislation that would ban vaping inside public buildings.

The Alabama Clean Indoor Air Act already bans the smoking of cigarettes, pipes, and other methods of smoking tobacco from public buildings including schools, police stations, city halls, and courthouses. This legislation would expand that prohibition to include vapes and other electronic tobacco delivery systems.

SB37 is sponsored by Alabama State Senator Gerald Allen (R-Northport).

“Under the existing law, the Alabama Clean Indoor Air Act prohibits the smoking of tobacco products in most public places and in public meetings,” said Sen. Allen. “This piece of legislation would prohibit the smoking of electronic nicotine delivery systems in the same manner as the smoking of tobacco products is prohibited.”

“I was sitting in a high school football game with my grandson and there was a young man vaping,” said Sen. Allen. “That was the genesis for this bill. The principals and superintendents of our schools have a huge problem with young people vaping.”

The bill was passed 26 to 4. However, it was later brought back for reconsideration.

Sen. Jabo Waggoner (R-Vestavia Hills) asked that the bill be renamed in honor of Sen. Vivian Figures (D-Mobile) who originally spearheaded the legislation to ban smoking from public places – the Alabama Clear Indoor Air Act.

“I think this is a very deserving amendment,” said Waggoner. “She has worked tirelessly on this for years.”

The Waggoner amendment was adopted 32 to 0.

“I just want to say thank you,” said Sen. Figures. “I think Senator Waggoner and Smitherman were the only ones here when I started that. It took me six years to get that Clean Indoor Act passed.”

“I just want to say that it is important to me that all Alabamians have the right to breathe clean air,” Figures said. “The late Sen. Jack Biddle tried multiple times to name this in honor of me, but it went south.”

Sen. Clyde Chambliss (R-Prattville) said that when he was 23 he worked at a place where there was a lot of smoking and that caused him serious health problems. Chambliss thanked Figures for the work that she has done.

“Thank you for giving me this honor,” Figures said. “It means a lot to me.”

SB37 as amended passed 32 to 0.

According to an article in the New England Journal of Medicine, smoking rates peaked in the United States in the mid-1960s and have since declined to historical lows. The use of e-cigarettes has recently soared, particularly among young people. In 2019, more than 27% of high school students reported using e-cigarettes during the past month, as compared with about 6% who reported using combustible cigarettes.

Because e-cigarettes vaporize liquid instead of burning tobacco, they are generally thought to be less harmful than conventional combustible cigarettes. The long-term health effects of inhaling liquid flavoring chemicals and nicotine are unknown. However, lung injury associated with cannabinoid oil vaping is rapidly becoming a serious public health concern. These complications heighten concerns about e-cigarettes.

SB37 now goes to the Alabama House of Representatives for their consideration.

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