Weigh in Tuesday on rules under consideration for smoking, vaping in Thurston County
Thurston County is considering new rules around smoking and vaping in public spaces, and residents are invited to weigh in at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13.
The proposed ordinance would ban smoking and vaping in indoor public places (except for tastings in licensed retailers), places of employment (including outdoor spaces where employees are expected to go as part of their work), and some outdoor public places where young people gather, such as playgrounds and child care centers.
It also would apply to vaping the rule that bans smoking within 25 feet from doors and other air intakes for indoor spaces and would require signage in public spaces and places of employment.
As it stands, some of the regulations apply to either smoking or vaping under state laws, Outreach and Education Specialist Kateri Wimsett confirmed in a phone call with The Olympian. But the county would make the regulations consistent across the board for both smoking and vaping. The new regulations would apply to all cities within Thurston County, she confirmed.
Twelve other counties have already passed these kinds of regulations, she said, including King, Pierce, Kitsap, Jefferson, Clark and Spokane.
The regulations are aimed in part at curbing the increase in youth vaping, according to public discussions, and preventing the exposure of vulnerable populations to harmful chemicals while in public.
Healthy Youth Survey results show vaping increased in Thurston County sixth, eighth, 10th, and 12th graders between 2016 and 2018.
“We are committed to putting policy in place to support the health of our community, with a strong focus on the health of our youth,” Thurston County Board of Health Chair Tye Menser said in a prepared statement. “The use of vaping products among Thurston County youth is rising at an alarming rate.”
Vapor products, such as vape pens and e-cigarettes, operate by heating up a liquid solution so it produces an aerosol that can be inhaled, Wimsett explained at a recent Board of Health meeting. That solution often contains nicotine or another drug and flavoring, she said, and heating it up creates an aerosol with tiny particles that can go deep into the lungs and cause negative health effects.
Public health concerns around vaping include that at-risk populations, such as children, pregnant women, and people with compromised lungs, can be exposed to the potentially harmful aerosols. Allowing vaping where smoking is prohibited can also imply it’s safe, Wimsett said.
The new rules would go into effect Jan. 1, with the first six months focused on education — answering questions, getting signage to retailers, etc. — rather than enforcement.
How to attend the public hearing
Written comments can still be submitted Monday, Oct. 12, via email to chris.hawkins@co.thurston.wa.us by 5 p.m. or by dropping them off in person at 412 Lilly Road NE before 4 p.m.
Residents can attend and testify over the phone by calling 360-252-9020 using the PIN number 1234, or at the county courthouse complex at 2000 Lakeridge Drive SW in Room 280 of Building 1. People attending in person are required to wear face coverings or masks and stay 6 feet away from others.
The hearing also will be live-streamed on the county’s YouTube channel.
A link to the draft ordinance is available on the county’s website: https://www.thurstoncountywa.gov/phss/Pages/smoking-vipp-sepa.aspx.
This story was originally published October 12, 2020 at 12:00 AM.
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