E-cigarette referendum effort in Kansas City fails

An effort to repeal a ban on electronic cigarette use in Kansas City’s bars, restaurants and other indoor areas has failed, lacking sufficient signatures.

A group that opposed the restriction turned in signatures Sunday to try to start a referendum petition. They needed 100 valid signatures of registered voters to start that process, but they came up with only 93.

A.J. Moll, a spokesman for the Bistate Regional Advocates for Vaping Education, said his group collected more than 220 signatures but didn’t realize that most of those weren’t valid.

Moll’s group was trying to force the repeal of an ordinance passed by the Kansas City Council.

The council voted Nov. 19 to support three ordinances restricting tobacco and e-cigarette use. Advocates for vapor products objected to the ordinance that bans the use of nicotine alternatives in indoor public areas such as bars and restaurants. That ordinance takes effect in mid-January.

Councilman Scott Taylor, who has pushed for the ban on indoor e-cigarette use, cheered the failure of the referendum attempt.

“I am pleased that the public has spoken by not signing on to this effort to stop progress in public health,” Taylor said.

This story was originally published December 1, 2015 at 2:59 PM with the headline "E-cigarette referendum effort in Kansas City fails."