Dallas City Council unanimously voted to ban vaping in most public places yesterday.
The ordinance updates the city’s 2003 smoking ban to include the use of electronic cigarettes in the definition of smoking. Going into effect on December 11, 2025, the ban will bar vaping in all places that currently prohibit smoking and require businesses to update signage to reflect the change. No new locations have been designated as non-smoking/vaping.
In the legislation’s text, an electronic cigarette is defined as “any product containing or delivering nicotine or any other substance intended for human consumption that can be used by a person in any manner for the purpose of inhaling vapor or aerosol from the product,” including an “e-cigarette, e-cigar, e-pipe, e-hookah, dab rig or vape pen.”
Under the ban, vaping will no longer be allowed in public places, parks, workplaces and any retail or service establishments. It also bans vaping within 15 feet of a building entrance. The penalty for violating the ordinance is a $500 fine.
Advocates say that the ban will positively impact public health, with some citing evidence of harmful airborne chemicals found in vapor as a reason for the ban.
“Furthermore, and unfortunately, the rise of e-cigarettes has led to a significant expansion of tobacco use among our teens, undoing decades of public health progress,” said John Palmer, a board member of the American Lung Association’s local leadership team.
District 10 Council Member Kathy Stewart voiced support for the ordinance in a press release.
“I am proud to work alongside my fellow councilmembers, in partnership with the Environmental Commission, to advance policy that makes sense. As we know, vaping is a serious public health matter impacting our youth and most vulnerable. I am pleased about today’s vote to enact these amendments,” Stewart said in the release.
