A city council committee is recommending that e-cigarettes and similar nicotine delivery devices be banned from Kansas City buses and streetcars.
The city already bans tobacco smoking of any kind on public transit vehicles and other public facilities, but some smokers have been using e-cigarettes, cigars or pipes to circumvent those bans.
Dr. Rex Archer of the Health Department told the Public Safety committee there is no data on adverse health effects of the vapors emitted from the devices, but there is no question about the danger of the liquids that fuel them.
"They are lethal, Archer said. "A person has already committed suicide using these products. We've had huge numbers of increases at Poison Control of persons being accidentally poisoned, including a number of children, with these devices."
He adds that some persons use the e-cigarettes and pipes to smoke illegal substances, exposing others nearby to those fumes.
The committee also recommends another e-device update. Audible playing of "cassette recorders" is now forbidden on the buses, but there was no mention of other devices like iPods or mp3 players.
The committee revised the proposed ordinance to include them.
The ordinance goes next to the full council. They are expected to pass it.
