The Minneapolis City Council voted unanimously Friday to ban e-cigarettes in public places.
The amendment bars smoking in workplaces and restaurants, but Ward 2 City Councilman Cam Gordon said at a City Council meeting the rule doesn’t prohibit using e-cigarettes in smoke shops. He said he will introduce another ordinance change to mitigate smoke shop owners’ concerns.
“[E-cigarette vendors] were concerned that they would be prohibited from testing devices with customers in their shops and allowing sampling,” Gordon said. “I made a commitment to make it clear that’s not our intention.”
At a public hearing in November, residents testified both for and against the rule, the Star Tribune reported. Other cities that have banned electronic cigarettes in public places include Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Bloomington, Duluth and Edina, according to a press release from the city.