What to Know
- Smoking tobacco products is already banned at Miami Beach parks.
- The Florida Department of Health has reported one death due to a vaping-related lung injury in 2019.
Vaping or using electronic cigarettes is now prohibited in all Miami Beach parks, the city announced in a press release Wednesday.
The move comes amid new research about the dangers of e-cigarettes and the health risks associated with them.
“Nicotine has documented detrimental health effects, especially on adolescents, and e-cigarettes are rapidly becoming an emerging health care crisis in our schools and have no place in our parks,” said Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber.
On Wednesday, Attorney General Ashley Moody announced a major investigation into the growing epidemic of teen vaping.
"Our investigation will focus on the marketing practices and online sales strategies of these companies to determine if they have intentionally targeted minors, tempting them to vape, and will also seek information to determine if these companies can support their marketing and health claims," Moody said. "I commit to you, that we will get to the bottom of this issue so important to the future of Florida’s youth."
The Florida Department of Health has reported one death due to a vaping-related lung injury in 2019. There have been 68 reported cases of lung injury associated with e-cigarettes in Florida this year, the department said.
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Smoking tobacco products is already banned at Miami Beach parks. The city said that signage will be modified to reflect the additional e-cigarette ban.
"There are still many unknown destructive side effects concerning e-cigarettes, including what chemicals are utilized in the vaping substance and how they affect physical health over a long-term period of time," the press release said.
Twenty-six deaths caused by lung injuries linked to the use of e-cigarettes have been reported nationwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The agency said that all patients have reported a history of using e-cigarette or vaping products.
