Debate over e-cigarettes dominates Indiana legislative hearing

Publication Date: 2015-10-07

• Author:Shari Rudavsky
• Publication:Indianapolis Star

Tobacco is bad for you. That was the one thing on which the elected officials and speakers at the legislative committee's public hearing could agree.

Now the question becomes: What is the best public policy to start eating away at the state's high smoking rate of nearly 23 percent?

Some came to Tuesday's hearing to oppose extending the state's no-smoking law to bars, casinos and other places that admit only adults, saying this would have drastic economic effects. Many public health officials, however, argue that such a move would help discourage smoking and protect nonsmokers from secondhand effects.

Other public health advocates argued for an increase in the tax on cigarettes, a move they said also could cut smoking rates and prevent youths from picking up the habit.

But perhaps the most contentious testimony centered on whether e-cigarettes and vaping products should be subject to more regulation and taxes...