Target Field has been a smoke-free building since the day it opened in 2010, but new regulations ban electronic cigarettes from being used as well.

E-cigarette use is on the rise in Minnesota as fewer venues allow traditional smoking and cigarette taxes continue to rise. The increase in e-cigarette use has prompted many city and county governments to look into similar regulations for the new form of smoking that uses a battery-powered vaporizer to deliver a liquid-based nicotine vapor to users that are looking for a nicotine fix.

These devices, unlike their traditional counterparts, are not restricted by the Minnesota Clean Indoor Air Act that bans smoking in establishments such as bars and restaurants and other venues. While e-cigarettes remain unrestricted by law, many businesses have banned their use, including the Minnesota Twins.

Minnesota Twins Senior Director of Communications Kevin Smith says the team has been watching the growing use of the devices and wants to make it clear that smoking of any sort, including e-cigarettes, is not allowed at Target Field.

The ban of e-cigarettes at Target Field is another battle in the war between advocates and opponents of electronic cigarettes. People in favor of allowing the devices say the vapor byproduct from the devices is harmless and odorless, and opponents of the devices argue the chemical contents of the vapor have unknown consequences; and in many cases the contents of the vapor are relatively unknown. The e-cigarette industry is currently unregulated, which means the  construction of the devices and content of the vapor are purely self-regulated by the industry at this point; so health concerns are unknown at this time.

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