Saugus health board aims to regulate e-cigarettes

SAUGUS – The Saugus Board of Health is looking into adopting a new regulation that would limit the sale of electronic cigarettes and place them in the same category as tobacco products.An e-cigarette is a nicotine delivery product that reproduces the act of smoking, but the user inhales a mist generated through an electronic heating source. A small vial of “e-liquid” is placed in a battery-operated, cigarette-shaped device, which is then heated and inhaled, according to Joyce Redford of the North Shore/Cape Ann Tobacco Alcohol Policy Program.?Our current regulations restrict the sale of tobacco products, but it doesn?t address nicotine,” said Public Health Director Frank Giacalone on Tuesday. “That?s what e-cigarettes are, a nicotine product.”Saugus Board of Health regulations state that tobacco products are not allowed to be sold to anyone under 18 and cigarettes cannot be smoked in public places.Redford presented the regulation at the Board of Health meeting Monday night, and said e-cigarettes aren?t regulated by the Food and Drug Administration.?We?re not trying to ban them,” said Redford on Monday. “We?re just trying to regulate them out of [concern over] use by youth and to ensure that they?re getting asked for ID, and because we don?t know what?s in the vapor, we don?t want it in a workplace like a cigarette.”If added to the town?s current tobacco policy, e-cigarettes would not be allowed to be sold to minors and would be prohibited from being used in public areas, including private clubs and outdoor seating.Giacalone said the opening of two e-cigarette retailers in Saugus, one called Eastern Vapor in Saugus Center, and another in a kiosk at the Square One Mall, prompted the recent discussions.Mark Petrillo, owner of Eastern Vapor, said e-cigarettes are a good way to quit smoking and noted he would support the new regulation since he already sells his products like they are regular cigarettes.?I call it a safer alternative to smoking,” said Petrillo, who was a smoker himself before switching to e-cigarettes last year. “Some people use it for two weeks and they quit all together. Some people use it and still smoke cigarettes, but cut down dramatically. Other people use this completely to stay away from cigarettes. People definitely find it helpful, that?s what I?m here for, to help people get off the tobacco and familiarize them with this product.”Giacalone acknowledged that e-cigarettes are a good tool to quit smoking, but said because they?re so new, not much is known about their side effects.?The original intent of the e-cigarette is to help people stop smoking and I support that,” said Giacalone. “But because it?s such a new product, we don?t know if it?s harmful or to what level it could be taken. The research that I?ve done is that (nicotine) is considered a drug. There?s nothing cancerous in the nicotine itself. But with the e-cigarettes, we don?t know a lot about it.”Giacalone said the Board of Health will discuss the new regulation at its meeting next month and will take a vote some time after that. If the regulation is adopted, Giacalone said any businesses selling e-cigarettes would be notified beforehand.Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].