DENVER, Colo.—The Colorado General Assembly passed House Bill 1076 today to add e-cigarettes to the state’s Clean Indoor Air Act and prohibit their use in public places and workplaces. If signed by Gov. Jared Polis, the legislation will take effect on July 1.
RJ Ours, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network Colorado government relations director, released the following statement:
"On behalf of our cancer advocates across the state who have worked with us on the clean indoor air issue over the past 14 years, we thank the Legislature for passing this significant public health legislation.
"Everyone who lives and works in Colorado has the right to breathe clean air that is free from all secondhand smoke exposure including e-cigarettes. E-cigarette aerosol is not harmless. It can contain nicotine; heavy metals like nickel, tin and lead; a chemical called benzene that’s found in car exhaust; and flavoring such as diacetyl that is linked to serious lung disease.
"Colorado teens use e-cigarettes at twice the national average, and this legislation is critical to curbing this public health epidemic. Comprehensive smoke-free laws make it less socially acceptable to smoke, which reduces the number of people who start smoking, especially kids. This legislation will help discourage kids from using e-cigarettes. It will also help ensure that enforcement of existing smoke-free laws is not compromised, and that the public health benefits of smoke-free laws are not undermined.
"ACS CAN urges Gov. Polis to sign this bill into law to protect the health of Coloradans and to address the e-cigarette epidemic in our state."
About ACS CAN
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) is making cancer a top priority for public officials and candidates at the federal, state and local levels. ACS CAN empowers advocates across the country to make their voices heard and influence evidence-based public policy change as well as legislative and regulatory solutions that will reduce the cancer burden. As the American Cancer Society’s nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate, ACS CAN is critical to the fight for a world without cancer. For more information, visit www.fightcancer.org.
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