Mayor Michael Bloomberg spent his last day in office to sign 22 bills into law, including a law that bans e-cigarettes and another that will create a database to track how public money was spent after Hurricane Sandy.
E-cigarettes are now banned in the city anywhere a conventional cigarette is prohibited.
The City Council passed the legislation earlier this month to ban the use of electronic cigarettes in restaurants, bars, private office buildings and some public places.
“The next generation of potential smokers could gravitate to getting their nicotine fix from these products. This legislation we think will help protect the gains we have made to reduce combustible cigarette use in New York City and will serve as an example for other municipalities to follow,” Bloomberg said.
Opponents of the law say that the electronic cigarettes help people quit smoking.
One chose to display her defiance in front of the mayor.
“I return the respect. Good people disobey bad laws,” said a woman as she lit a cigarette.
“Thank you, we just don’t permit smoking in public buildings,” said Bloomberg.
One could lead to a ban on styrofoam in take-out food containers, pending the results of a year-long study into whether the material can be recycled effectively.
Manufacturers and restaurant owners say the bill would do major damage to the city’s economy.
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via Great Local News: New York http://newyork.greatlocalnews.info
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