VERO BEACH — The Vero Beach City Council voted unanimously in a final public hearing Tuesday night to restrict the sale of electronic cigarettes and liquid nicotine products in the city limits.
As of Dec. 19, which is 30 days after the ordinance was approved, merchants will be prohibited from selling E-cigarettes or liquid nicotine products to minors.
“The idea of this ordinance is to prevent the sale to those who are under 18,” said Mayor Dick Winger.
The ordinance also prohibits merchants in the city limits from marketing these products in an open display in their stores or by “self-service marketing,” thereby relegating E-cigarettes and liquid nicotine to behind the counter or in a display case.
Councilwoman Pilar Turner said because the item came up a couple of months ago, the council has gotten an education in these new products, which are sometimes not clearly regulated by laws of other jurisdictions.
The original ordinance, which the city had modeled from another municipality, banned the use of E-cigarettes, except in areas where smoking of tobacco cigarettes or cigars is allowed.
City Attorney Wayne Coment said that provision was removed on the final go-around.