WASHINGTON 鈥斅燭he National Park Service wants to add electronic cigarettes to its smoking policy, which often forbids smoking in public enclosed facilities, such as restaurants and visitor centers.
鈥淪ome people have said 鈥榊ou鈥檙e going to ban smoking,鈥�” said Jeffrey Olson, spokesperson with the National Park Service. 鈥淲e鈥檙e not 鈥� smoking is not banned in national parks.鈥�
The proposed revision, which is open for, would add electronic cigarettes and other electronic nicotine delivery systems, to the current smoking policy regarding cigarettes, cigars and pipes.
For years, superintendents in each national park have been allowed to ban smoking in indoor facilities, including restaurants and visitor centers.
鈥淚f you can smoke a 鈥榗igarette cigarette鈥� somewhere in a park now, you鈥檒l be able to smoke an e-cigarette,鈥� said Olson. 鈥淚f there鈥檚 a place that you cannot smoke in a national park right now, we鈥檙e simply adding e-cigarettes to that list.鈥�
In a news release, Michael Reynolds, acting director of the park service, cited findings from the Food and Drug Administration and Surgeon General, saying electronic cigarettes 鈥榓re a threat to public health, especially to the health of young people.’鈥�
Olson was asked whether the park service is聽attempting to influence a person鈥檚 right to choose whether to smoke.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think that鈥檚 our intention,鈥� Olson said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e updating regulations so they match with our existing policy 鈥斅爄t鈥檚 simply a new piece of technology that鈥檚 added to the world of smoking.鈥�
