The Baltimore County Council passed a bill on Monday night that would prohibit the sale of tobacco products and electronic cigarettes to anyone under 21 years of age. Members of the military over 18 would be exempted from this ban.
The bill was officially submitted by Council chair Tom Quirk, at the request of the Baltimore County Executive John Olszewski, Jr. The bill was passed 6 to 0. Councilman Jillian Jones was not attendance for the session.
Before the vote, members of the council said there was a time when people could smoke inside public buildings but times have changed because of the health risk.
“We have done so much whether it was taking smoking out of parks away. parking lots, from our schools and now this,” said 6th District County Councilwoman Cathy Bevins.
Fifth District Councilman David Marks recalls in 2012 when the county council banned smoking at Baltimore County parks. Marks stated that it was a controversial ban at that time but believes that society has changed its attitude to smoking.
“I suspect if we did [banned smoking at Baltimore County parks] today, it would not be as controversial,” Marks said.
