Mesa begins enforcing new regulations aimed at public vaping

PHOENIX — The city of Mesa on Tuesday began enforcing its new regulations regarding vaping in public.

The ordinance was approved by the City Council in December and includes vaping within the city’s existing tobacco regulations.

Mesa residents are no longer permitted to vape within city facilities, certain public places and places of employment.

“There has been extensive research regarding the negative health effects of vaping and inhaling second-hand vapors that led the Mesa City Council to support changing our smoking ordinance to include vaping,” Mesa Mayor John Giles said in a press release.

“I’m proud that Mesa is joining the growing number of cities nationwide taking action to protect the public.”

The new policies do not prohibit residents from purchasing vaping materials, nor are vaping shops with proper ventilation required to alter their practices.

Giles previously said that the health risks of vaping and the ease with which vaping products can be obtained by underage users were the primary reasons the city council began considering the new ordinance.

The cities of Chandler, Gilbert, Tempe, Goodyear, Tucson and Flagstaff have also implemented similar vaping regulations.

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