How Lake Zurich might try to curb underage vaping
Lake Zurich trustees introduced two plans Monday night they say will curb underage vaping: raising the age to purchase tobacco products to 21 and imposing a one-year moratorium on new vape shops opening in the village.
The board did not take action on either item but likely will in December and January, respectively.
If the board chooses to raise the tobacco age, then anyone under 21 would be prohibited from buying, using or possessing any tobacco, e-cigarettes, and vaping products. The moratorium, if implemented, would allow the village to consider zoning code amendments to deal with vape shops and similar businesses throughout 2019.
Among those who spoke in favor of the actions were Jim Cairo, a Lake Zurich business owner who represented the Ela Township Coalition Against Youth Substance Abuse; Doug Goldberg, the Lake Zurich District 95 school board president; and Kaine Osburn, the superintendent of District 95.
Citing the data gathered about district students in the annual Illinois Youth Survey, Osburn said vaping is without a doubt the risk behavior that has seen the largest increase at Lake Zurich High School.
"I don't want to use alarmist language, but the curve is going like this," Osburn said, angling his arm like a line graph going straight up. "What's worse is that the product is also growing among middle schoolers in the district."
Lake Zurich resident Martin Filson said he agreed there's a need to stop children from getting involved with tobacco, but he said he wasn't happy that people's liberties would be eliminated as the result of what he called political whim.
"We need to decide when a person is an adult and allow them the freedoms that some guys went out and fought for," Filson said.
Mayor Thomas Poynton said he had similar issues with the idea of raising the tobacco age but said he was willing to support it.
"As usual I will acquiesce to the will of the majority of the board and the best interest of the residents," Poynton said.
Village Manager Ray Keller said although a vape shop moratorium might last through 2019, it could end earlier if the board comes up with new zoning regulations before then. He said the moratorium plan will be before the village's planning and zoning committee at its December meeting. Keller said if it is dealt with by the planning and zoning committee, then it will be back before the village board for final action at its first meeting in January.
According to village documents, the plan to raise the tobacco age to 21 will be voted on at either the board's Dec. 3 or Dec. 17 meeting.