City honing law against minors vaping

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook City Council approved on first reading new ordinances to city law that prohibits the use and possession of vaping products by minors.

State law prohibits the use of vaping products by minors but not the possession of them, said McCook City Police Chief Ike Brown at the city council meeting Monday night. Vaping was a significant issue last year in schools and the lack of laws prohibiting the possession of them in or around school grounds makes it a “near impossible task” to curb their use, he said.

In partnership with McCook City Schools, the new ordinances prohibits those under 18 the use and possession of vaping or nicotine replacement products. Current state law prohibits those under the age of 18 the use of tobacco products, cigars, pipe tobacco, snuff, chewing tobacco, dipping tobacco and electronic cigarettes.

The new city ordinances are crafted from similar laws passed in other Nebraska cities.

Students caught with vaping products currently are suspended for three days, said Craig Dickes, McCook Senior High assistant principal. Although Dickes said they have not have any students suspended more than once, Council member Janet Hepp wondered if three days was severe enough.

Mayor Mike Gonzales asked how it would be enforced, in the schools or in public. Brown said they rely on the school resource officer on school grounds and school events and in public, police officers would ID a person in possession of the product and issue a citation.

Penalties would be an infraction with a $35 penalty for the first offense and $50 for each subsequent offense.

The vaping products are disguised as pens or USB chargers and can be smokeless and odorless. In his report to the city council, Brown said some vaping and nicotine replacement products, such as “Juul,” allows users to consume the amount of nicotine in a pack of cigarettes in as few as three puffs.

The council unanimously approved the ordinances. The ordinances will go through two more readings for a total of three readings, before going into effect.