Steven Greenhut, the Sacramento-based western region director for the R Street Institute, a free market think tank based in Washington, D.C., told the Legislature that the bill as written could discourage people from transitioning to e-cigarettes. He argued that it should be left up to the individual business owners and that making a distinction between vaping and smoking will help people switch.

“Indoor vaping places would encourage smokers to switch, especially in cold climates like Alaska,” he said.

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