PRESS RELEASE
Media Contacts:
Gracemarie Rozea, President
Kyle McCauley Belokopitsy, Esq., Executive Director
518-452-8808 (office)
518-817-3017 (cell)
Albany, NY (July 26, 2017) – Yesterday, Governor Cuomo signed legislation, S.750 (Ritchie)/A.611 (Rosenthal) which bans the use of electronic cigarettes on all public and private school grounds in New York.
“This is a huge win for New York’s students, as we know the dangerous effects of the use and second-hand exposure to e-cigarettes,” offered NYS PTA President Gracemarie Rozea. “NYS PTA members fiercely advocated on this issue, and on including e-cigarettes in the Clean Indoor Air Act, and we are thrilled this legislation is now law.”
According to the U.S. Surgeon General’s report on e-cigarettes and young people, “No matter how it’s delivered, nicotine is harmful for youth and young adults.”
“This law focuses on support for the whole child, as e-cigarettes can contain harmful chemicals, including nicotine, diacetyl (a chemical linked to serious lung disease), benzene (found in car exhaust), and heavy metals such as nickel, tin and lead,” added Vice President for Advocacy Dana Platin.
Executive Director Kyle Belokopitsky offered, “As a parent of a school aged child, I am so pleased that New York is expanding health protections for ALL children. NYS PTA members sent thousands of emails, made hundreds of calls and had numerous meetings on this critical issue – today is a win for our kid’s health!”
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