Push to change Cary's smoking ordinance to include vapes fails to get council approval

The Cary Town Council on Thursday failed to approve a proposal to expand the town's smoking ordinance to include vaping and electronic smoking devices. The motion received a 4-2 vote, but five affirmative votes were required for adoption. The proposed amendments would have prohibited e-cigarettes, vapes, and similar devices at town properties such as buildings, community centers, playgrounds, recreation centers, greenways, and trails, and would have extended restrictions to enclosed public spaces like entertainment venues and retail stores. Student advocates, including high school senior Mansib Sacheha of the Poe Center's Youth Empowerment Team, urged the council to adopt stronger smoke-free policies, citing witnessed vaping among students and disruptions like fire alarms. Mayor Pro Tem Lori Bush supported aligning vaping restrictions with existing smoking rules. However, Councilwoman Sarika Bansal opposed the ordinance without additional data and evaluation from town staff, raising concerns about enforcement costs and priorities. Councilwoman Michelle Craig noted that signage updates would be absorbed into existing budgets. Mayor Harold Weinbrecht hoped for a unanimous decision after gathering more information. Student advocates plan to continue pushing for the measure, and the council could revisit the issue at a future meeting. Cary's current smoking ordinance has been in place for nearly 20 years, predating widespread vaping.

(Source：ABC11 News)