New City of San Antonio amendment requires e-cigarette signs in public spaces

The City of San Antonio has made changes to the Smoking & Vaping Ordinance.

A new amendment took effect on Jan. 1, including four changes to the current ordinance.

The current ordinance, adopted by City Council in 2010, aimed at providing smoke-free air in San Antonio. The ordinance addressed smoke from combustible smoking devices, such as cigarettes and cigars.

In 2014, electronic smoking devices (ESDs), such as e-cigarettes and vapes, became popular but were not in the 2010 ordinance.

The four new changes to the current ordinance now include ESDs.

• Add the definition of Electronic Smoking Devices (ESDs)
• Include ESDs in the definition of smoking
• Posting signage: Businesses will now be required to include the ESD icon on signs. This should be next to the traditional cigarette icon and both should be enclosed in a red circle with a red bar across them. This signage will be required for every public place and place of employment where smoking is currently prohibited.
  • You can download new signage here:
    • No Smoking/No Vaping
    • Designated Smoking Areas
• Distribution, display and sale of tobacco products and cigarette machines: San Antonio was the first city in Texas to raise the age of sale to 21 (2018). A law passed in 2019 to change the age and local language was removed.

The city said this amendment would benefit employees and customers by prohibiting exposure to secondhand smoke and vapor from ESDs.

Under the ordinance, fines will remain as is:

• $200: Any person, business, employer or employee who intentionally, knowingly, recklessly or with criminal negligence violates this ordinance will be fined up to this amount.
• $500: Second time offender, fine doubles.
• $2,000: Third time offender, fine shoots up into the thousands.

Related coverage on KSAT:

• Vapes, e-cigarettes banned in San Antonio’s public spaces