San Ramon Bans Vaping, Smoking Of Any Kind, In Public Places

SAN RAMON, CA — Don't light up in San Ramon. The city has implemented a ban on smoking of any kind in public spaces, whether that be tobacco, vaping, marijuana, or "any lighted, heated, burning, or ignited smoke delivery system."

During its regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday night, city council unanimously amended its smoking ordinance with the updated language, and city staffers are looking at bringing a new ordinance — prohibitions on sales of vaping products — to city council later this month.

There are some exemptions to the newly updated ordinance, but the ban applies to nearly all public places within the city. Read the full ordinance and exemptions (see packet page 31).

Tuesday's discussion was on the heels of a Nov. 8 news announcement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that points to a link between Vitamin E acetate that's used as an additive in the production of e-cigarette — or vaping — products and patients with certain lung injuries thought to be caused by vaping.

The San Ramon ban also comes the day before news of a fourth vaping-associated death in California since July. A healthy Marin County woman in her 40s who started vaping six months ago died, it was announced Wednesday.

"With sadness, we report that there has been a death in our community suspected to be caused by severe lung injury associated with vaping," Marin County Public Health Officer Dr. Matt Willis said in a news release.

Marin County public health officials are working with the California Department of Public Health and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to obtain test samples to determine the specific products that may have contributed to the death.

The CDC last week reported 39 deaths nationally and more than 2,000 suspected cases in the national epidemic of lung damage associated with e-cigarettes.

Symptoms of e-cigarette and vaping-associated lung injury, (EVALI) include shortness of breath, coughing or chest pain often accompanied by nausea, fever, vomiting or diarrhea. People with the symptoms who previously used e-cigarettes should seek prompt medical attention.

San Ramon council member Bill Clarkson was absent during Tuesday's meeting.