NY: Westchester County Bans Vapes Disguised as School Supplies

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Westchester County legislators voted unanimously on July 20 to ban the sale of e-cigarettes designed to look like everyday items, including school supplies, toys, and phone cases. Proposed by County Executive Ken Jenkins, the measure aims to prevent manufacturers from marketing disguised nicotine products to minors while keeping them hidden from parents and educators.

The new law targets devices that mimic highlighters, USB drives, and drink containers. These deceptive designs make the products easy to conceal in classrooms and difficult for school staff to recognize as tobacco products.

Once enacted, the Westchester County Board of Health will oversee enforcement. Retailers caught selling these prohibited items face structured civil penalties:

  • First violation: Fines between $300 and $1,500.
  • Repeat offenses: Fines up to $2,500.

Board Chairman Vedat Gashi stated that parents should not have to worry whether a highlighter in a child’s backpack is actually a vaping device. He noted that the law successfully blocks a tactic used to put nicotine within easy reach of young people.

Jewel Williams Johnson, Chair of the Board’s Health Committee, added that camouflaged vapes are engineered to look harmless to make addiction appealing. Johnson stated that the vote sends a clear message that products designed to evade adult supervision have no place in the county. She also indicated that the board is working on additional vape-control measures to protect local families.

Matthew Ma
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