Targets Vapes Disguised as Highlighters, USB Drives, Other Common Objects
On July 20, the Westchester County Board of Legislators unanimously voted to pass a bill banning the sale of e-cigarettes and vaping products made to resemble everyday items such as school supplies, smartphone cases, toys, and drink containers. Introduced by County Executive Ken Jenkins, the measure targets deceptive products intended to attract young people while concealing nicotine use from parents and teachers.
Some vaping products mimic highlighters, USB drives, and other familiar objects, making them easier to hide in schools and harder for parents and school staff to recognize.
Once enacted, the Westchester County Board of Health will enforce the County law. Civil penalties will range from $300 to $1,500 for a first violation and up to $2,500 for repeat offenses.
Board Chairman Vedat Gashi said, “Parents shouldn’t have to wonder whether the highlighter in a child’s backpack is actually a vaping device. This law shuts down one more tactic used to put nicotine products within easy reach of young people. I’m proud the Board acted unanimously to help protect our children and support families.”
Legislator Jewel Williams Johnson, Chair of the Board’s Health Committee, said, “Every parent understands the instinct to protect our children from dangers they may not yet recognize for themselves. Camouflaged vaping products are especially troubling because they are designed to look harmless, familiar, and easy to conceal—making nicotine addiction more accessible and more appealing to young people. The Board’s unanimous passage sends a clear message: products created to evade adult attention and endanger our children have no place in Westchester County. I thank the County Executive for proposing this important measure and my colleagues on the Board for standing together in support of it. I am proud to see this measure move forward, and I remain equally committed to advancing additional vape-related measures I have proposed to protect our children from deceptive products and the dangers of nicotine addiction. We are actively working to move those proposals forward, and I look forward to seeing them pass as we continue building a safer, healthier Westchester for every child and every family.”
Watch a replay of Monday’s Board Meeting here.