On the same day the Oxford Dictionary named “vape” its word of the year, Madison Mayor Paul Soglin and Common Council members introduced a proposal to ban electronic cigarettes, or e-cigs, indoors in public spaces.

As part of the proposal, smoking e-cigarettes or traditional cigarettes would become illegal in city parks and beaches, according to Ald. Lauren Cnare, District 3.

The current state law, which went into effect in 2010, prohibits smoking in retail establishments, bars, restaurants, bowling alleys and state institutions, but allows exceptions for tobacco retailers who were in business before June 30, 2009, and make more than 75 percent of their income from tobacco sales excluding cigarettes or who make 15 percent or more of their income from cigar and pipe tobacco sales.

The proposal is sponsored by 10 alders, including Cnare, who herself is a former-smoker, as well as Mayor Paul Soglin.

The aim of the proposal is to treat e-cigarettes just like regular cigarettes, Cnare said.

“This is not making them illegal devices; it is merely saying we have some places that we respect the rights of others to breathe clean air, and we want to preserve those,” she said.

Part of the problem with e-cigarettes is the uncertainty about whether the vapor that comes out of e-cigarettes is safe, Cnare said.

Cnare expressed concerns that e-cigarettes might be attractive to children with flavors such as bubble gum, grape and candy apple.

Youth smoking rates are going down due to the current smoking ban, she said. This proposal would help keep young people from taking up smoking, she said.

“I don’t want smoking to be re-normalized,” Cnare said.

Cnare predicts some opposition to the proposal, but said several cities across Wisconsin have successfully approved similar measures.

However, Jason Clark, owner of Smokes on State, said the proposal will harm his business and cause him to lose money.

“This will affect quite a lot of people, customers and employees. Our store employs a lot of people, but if we aren’t able to maintain profit, people are going to have to start looking elsewhere,” he said.

The proposal will cause much of his business to shift online, Clark said.

Clark voiced concerns the proposal will create a stigma about e-cigarettes similar to the stigma associated with smoking traditional cigarettes.

“This law pushes people who utilize e-cigarettes into a bad demographic. There is not enough studies on the products. Cities like Eau Claire have taken the drastic approach and banned them when they do not even have the research to back it,” Clark said.

The measure will be discussed by the city’s parks department before sending it to the health department.

After reviewing the proposal, the health department will make a recommendation to Common Council as soon as January, Cnare said.