Socorro bans electronic cigarettes

The Socorro City Council voted Thursday to add e-cigarettes to the city’s public smoking ban. Socorro is the first city in the El Paso metropolitan area that has taken a step against the controversial electronic cigarettes. However, the ordinance does not ban the sale of e-cigarettes or their use in private homes and tobacco stores.

The rule passed with a four to zero vote, with Rep. Sergio Cox absent.

“I think more (than) anything it’s about public health,” Socorro Mayor Jesus Ruiz said. “Unfortunately with the e-cigarettes, they are not regulated by the federal government.”

The FDA stated on its website that some e-cigarettes samples contained toxic chemicals, including an ingredient in antifreeze. The cigarettes did not contain health warnings. The devices had not been submitted for evaluation.

A fine for breaking this new rule can be as much as $100 for the first violation, $200 for the second violation and $500 for any additional violations within a year of the first violation.