Kane County Health Department applauds Aurora Farmers Market for policy restricting vaping
On Jan. 1, e-cigarette devices were added to the Smoke Free Illinois Act, which means in addition to smoking, vaping is now banned in public places and outside public places if within 15 feet of an entrance.
The Kane County Health Department encourages area public places and work spaces to take the law one step further and prohibit smoking and use of e-cigarettes anywhere on their properties, including outdoors.
The Aurora Farmers Market has updated its policies for the 2024 season, and the use of cigarettes, cigars, e-cigarettes, vapes, and any other electronic smoking device is prohibited on market grounds.
While the secondhand aerosol exhaled from e-cigarettes generally contains less toxins than the secondhand smoke from tobacco products, it may still expose others to the harmful contaminants that most e-cigarette liquids contain, like nicotine, heavy metals, ultrafine particulates, volatile organic compounds and other toxins, according to this “Exposure to Secondhand Smoke and Secondhand E-Cigarette Aerosol Among Middle and High School Students” report on the Centers for Disease Control.
“We know that the nicotine in most vapes is powerfully addictive, and that the flavors in vapes can cause lung irritation,” said Michael Isaacson, executive director. “We commend the Aurora farmers market for providing smoke and vape-free outdoor events.”
The Aurora Farmers Market begins its 113th season on June 1 and operates on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon at 65 S. Water St., and on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1999 W. Galena Blvd. Find more details at www.aurora-il.org/1595/Aurora-Farmers-Market.
The department’s Tobacco Control and Prevention Program staff works with schools, health care providers, businesses, and other groups to eliminate secondhand smoke exposure, promote compliance with the Smoke-Free Illinois Act, prevent tobacco initiation among youth, promote quitting tobacco use among adults and youth, and reduce the environmental impacts of tobacco products.
Learn more at www.kanehealth.com/Pages/Tobacco-and-Vaping.aspx.