Do e-cigarettes pose a health risk to those exposed to the second-hand vapor?  That’s what Brookhaven officials should consider as they debate whether to add e-cigs to the city’s smoke-free ordinance.

Currently the city’s smoke-free ordinance restricts cigarette smoking in restaurants and businesses. There has been an effort by some to include e-cigs in that ordinance.

Thomas J. Payne, professor in the Department of Otolaryngology and Communicative Sciences, Cancer Epidemiology Program at University of Mississippi Medical Center, told the Board of Aldermen recently about the dangers of e-cigs and urged the board to include them as part of the city’s smoke-free ordinance.

But is the danger only to those using e-cigs or to bystanders as well?  One of the main goals of smoke-free ordinances is to reduce exposure to second-hand smoke. Research has shown that second-hand smoke is deadly. According to the American Cancer Society, 2.5 million people have died since 1964 due to exposure to second-hand smoke.

So it makes sense to ban smoking in public places where people could potentially be exposed. But if e-cigarettes don’t produce harmful second-hand “smoke,” does it make sense to ban them?

According to the National Institutes of Health, “based on the existing evidence from environmental exposure and chemical analyses of vapor, it is safe to conclude that the effects of EC (e-cig) use on bystanders are minimal compared with conventional cigarettes.”

According to a 2014 study, “researchers at the University of Southern California analyzed second-hand smoke from e-cigarettes and found an overall 10-fold decrease in exposure to harmful particles compared to traditional cigarette smoke. However, they did find a significant increase in exposure to some harmful metals coming from e-cigarette smoke.”

It doesn’t appear science has fully agreed on what exactly the dangers of e-cigs may be to those who are exposed to second-hand vapor.  We’re not suggesting that city officials not include e-cigs under a smoke-free ordinance. We’re simply asking aldermen to make sure they have solid research to back up their decision.

If health experts agree that second-hand vapor is dangerous, then e-cigs should be banned in public places. The one exception should be stores that exclusively sell them — customers at those stores know what they’re walking in to.