City e-cigarette ban troubling to nicotine addicts

A city ban on electronic cigarettes is not sitting well with former smokers who usee-cigs to easethemselves away from tobacco.

The smokeless cigarettes are currently unregulated, but that could change if city councillors vote to roll them in with tobacco products, something they willdebate next week.

Erin Woodfordquit smoking 11 weeks ago. She calls e-cigarettes her only help.

"I've tried the pills, I tried the patch, I tried the gum, I tried cold turkey," she said.

Then she turned to electronic cigarettes.

"For the very first time ... I felt like it was an achievable goal."

Woodford is asking city councillors not to lump e-cigarettes in with tobacco products under a smoking ban.

Forcing e-cigarettes users outdoors to stand with tobacco smokers would defeat the purpose, she said.

"I don't want to be forced to stand with second hand smoke anymore than anyone else does."

Kayla Atkey, with Smoke Free Alberta, said e-cigarettes mimic smoking and therefore should not be allowed in public places.

"The use of e-cigarettes in public has the potential to re-normalize smoking in society," she said.

MacEwan University recentlyrestrictedthe use of electronic cigarettes to designated smoking areas on campus, citingthe World Health Organization's opinionthat the devicesexpose both smokers and non-smokers to nicotine and other toxins.