E-cigarette use banned inside public spaces under measure signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker

The 15-year-old Smoke-Free Illinois Act, which makes most indoor public spaces off-limits for smoking, now governs electronic cigarettes as well after Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Friday signed into law a measure that was approved with bipartisan support in the spring legislative session.

“Illinoisans deserve to enjoy public spaces without being exposed unwillingly to secondhand vapor and other electronic cigarettes byproducts,” Pritzker said in a statement. “Now, e-cigarettes and vapes will qualify under existing anti-smoking laws, reducing air pollution and making a more accessible, healthy Illinois.”

The act bans smoking in public spaces including a “portion of any building or vehicle used by and open to the public.” There are limited exceptions, including an exemption for the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont during meetings of tobacco manufacturers and suppliers.

Until Friday, these restrictions did not apply to electronic nicotine products such as e-cigarettes, e-hookahs, or vape pens.

E-cigarettes have become especially popular with young people for many reasons, including the variety of flavors and the lack of stigma associated with the product. According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, “most e-cigarette users do not consider themselves to be smokers.”

While “cigarette smoking has declined dramatically among Illinois high school students,” between 2016 and 2018 “e-cigarette use in Illinois increased from 18.4% to 26.7% among high school seniors,” the IDPH reports.

“E-cigarettes pose a significant health risk,” IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra said in a statement. “Banning indoor use of these devices sends a strong message that e-cigarettes are not a safe alternative to smoking.”

Earlier this year, the city of Chicago reached a $23.8 million settlement with Juul Labs over claims that the e-cigarette company aimed its vaping products at an underage market. The city had banned the sale of flavored liquid nicotine products in 2020, and Cook County followed suit earlier this year.

While e-cigarettes, with their sleek design and the fact that they do not require a flame, are often seen as less offensive to smoke e-cigarettes in public, the smoke still threatens the respiratory system of bystanders.

“Secondhand smoke from e-cigarettes has been linked to everything from asthma attacks to heart and lung disease,” Joel Africk, president and CEO of Respiratory Health Association, said in a statement after Pritzker signed the legislation. “The governor and General Assembly should be congratulated for expanding the Smoke-Free Illinois law and protecting the health of everyone in Illinois.”

Anyone who is caught using an e-cigarette in a public place in violation of the Smoke-Free Illinois Act can be fined $100 for the first offense and $250 for the subsequent offenses. The owners of the place where the person violates the law could be on the hook for a $500 penalty at first and $2,500 for all subsequent violations for the next year.

“E-cigarettes have become more prevalent, but they are not harmless,” Democratic Rep. Camille Lilly of Chicago, who sponsored the bill, said in a statement. “Let’s continue to do what we can to reduce smoking, create cleaner indoor public places and produce healthier outcomes for everyone.”

hsanders@chicagotribune.com