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INDY�: raleigh•cary durham- chapel hill Durham County cracks down on e- cigarettes By David Hudnall Photo by TBEC Review /Courtesy of Creative Commons License Attribution 2.0 Generic Another new law for the New Year: Vapes are now the same as cigs in the eyes of Durham County law enforcement. That means no more e- cigarettes on city or county property, including parks and trails and within a 100 -foot radius of bus stops. Bars and restaurants can still decide for themselves whether they want to be vape- friendly, per state law. "We have sent out letters to local restaurants to let them know that it's within their right to restrict its use," says Durham County Public Health director Gayle Harris. Wake County has a similar county- property a -cig ban. Orange County hasn't yet added e- cigarettes to its Smoke - Free Public Places Rule, but communications manager Stacy Shelp says the county's board of health will be considering action this year. Jason Joyner, lobbyist for a klatch of brick - and -mortar shop owners, e- liquid makers and other vape- product suppliers known as the N.C. Vaping Council, says Durham County's decision was no big surprise. "Every county or municipality has the right to do it, but I did find it interesting that [Harris'] tagline on the announcement was basically, 'We know it's not as safe as clean air, so we're going to ban it in public places, "' Joyner says. "Well, if that's the precedent, then what else do we ban? Bus exhaust? What about the bull at the ballpark that blows out the huge cloud of smoke when the batter hits a home run? Is that within 50 or 100 feet of the public sidewalk ?"