The mayor proposed in March a bill modeled on laws in Iceland, Canada, England and Ireland to require shops to keep tobacco products in cabinets, drawers, under the counter, behind a curtain or in other concealed spots until a customer asked for them. He said the displays “invite young people to experiment with tobacco.”
But a similar measure had been rescinded in suburban Haverstraw, New York, after cigarette manufacturers sued. They said it violated their companies' free speech rights to communicate with consumers about their products' availability and prices.
The city Health Department said in a statement that the measure was taken off the table because “with the arrival of e-cigarettes, more time is needed to determine how best to address this problem.”
E-cigarette makers say their products are healthier than tobacco, and a trade association leader bristled at the city's proposal to prevent people under 21 from buying them.
“Is 21 the right number? People can join the Army at 18,” said Ray Story, founder of the Atlanta-based Tobacco Vapor Electronic Cigarette Association.
Updated on: October 31, 2013 8:01 IST
