Minn. bills would treat e-cigs as standard smokes

The growing popularity of smokeless electronic cigarettes has Minnesota lawmakers weighing whether they should be regulated in similar fashion to traditional tobacco products.

• E-cig conversation on The Daily Circuit

Several bills have been introduced to keep tabs on the new fad, with hearings on a couple of them planned for Wednesday in the House Health and Human Services Committee.

One would classify e-cigarettes under the state's indoor air act. Another would explicitly bar them in schools and give municipalities greater power to set sales parameters.

The e-cigarettes are battery-powered devices that heat a liquid nicotine solution. Users inhale a vapor but they don't emit the chemicals, tar or odor of regular cigarettes. Industry officials argue that they are often used by those trying to quit smoking and present a lower health risk.