Health
ORDINANCE
WHEREAS, the City of Chicago is a home rule unit of government pursuant to the Illinois Constitution, Article VII, Section 6 (a); and
WHEREAS, pursuant to its home rule power, the City of Chicago may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs, including promoting the quality of life, health, safety, and the welfare of its citizens; and
WHEREAS, on January 15, 2014, the Chicago City Council adopted an ordinance which banned the smoking of e-cigarettes in most indoor public places, including restaurants and bars, and subjected e-cigarettes to many of the regulations applicable to other tobacco products; and
WHEREAS, liquid nicotine, or e-liquid, is more dangerous than tobacco because it can be absorbed into the bloodstream quicker than tobacco and it is becoming increasingly popular as e-cigarettes become increasingly reusable; and
WHEREAS, the dangerous stimulant is sold by the vial, the gallon, and the barrel at both low and high concentrations; and
WHEREAS, at a high concentration, as little as one teaspoon of liquid nicotine can kill a baby or a small child and less than one tablespoon can kill an adult; and
WHEREAS, according to the National Poison Data System, reports of poisonings caused by accidental ingestion of e-liquids tripled from 2012 to 2013, from 459 to 1,414; and
WHEREAS, a reported 365 cases of e-liquid poisonings were referred to hospitals in 2013, which is triple the amount in 2012; and
WHEREAS, according to industry estimates, between one million and two million liters of liquid nicotine will be sold this year in the United States; and
WHEREAS, the European Parliament limits the amount of nicotine in e-cigarettes to 20 milligrams per milliliter, or 2% concentration, which is rarely fatal to children, and requires childproof and tamper-proof packaging and graphic warnings; and
WHEREAS, Canada regulates liquid nicotine and e-cigarettes under the strict rules that govern the safety...
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