CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WAND) -Â In Champaign, there are three different vape shops within miles of each other.
"An e-cigarette is an instrument used to deliver a source of nicotine, alternative to a traditional source of tobacco," Scott Shull says, part owner of Vape Vault in Champaign.
The booming business is raising concerns for some. A 2016 study found 9 percent of Champaign County High School seniors used e-cigarettes.Â
Public Health officials in Champaign-Urbana said in a statement, "e-cigarette marketing has mislead the public about the safety of vaping."Â
But e-cigarette shop owners disagree.
"In all age groups, tobacco cigarette use has dropped drastically and it's because of electronic cigarettes," Shull says. "We don't believe kids should use any source of tobacco product, this one included and we do our best to keep that from happening."Â
E-cigarettes do not contain tobacco, leading some in the public to believe they are a safer alternative. Champaign-Urbana Public Health districts are encouraging businesses to ban e-cigarettes just as they would traditional cigarettes. Shull says people who vape should be aware of where they are regardless.
"Those of us who use electronic cigarettes need to be respectful of others," Shull says. "I know, myself, I won't vape inside of a place where I don't know if it's OKÂ or not. I have no problem going to a smoking section."
