State Sen. Patty Ritchie, R-Heuvelton, says legislation she sponsored will protect student health by banning electronic cigarettes use on school grounds has passed the Senate.

The (Senate bill 750) would prohibit the use of electronic cigarettes, commonly known as “e-cigarettes” on school property and school buses.

Ritchie represents the western half of St. Lawrence County including Ogdensburg, Canton and Gouverneur.

While tobacco use is banned on school grounds, current law does not prohibit e-cigarettes—which are not regulated by the FDA and as such are not subject to tobacco law—on school property.

“While much is still unknown about how e-cigarettes impact health, it has been shown that their vapor—which contains nicotine—can be harmful,” Ritchie said.

“Schools are meant to be safe places for our young people, however, when we allow children to be exposed to things like e-cigarettes, we put their health at risk and also open them up to the possibility of picking up other damaging habits, like smoking cigarettes,” she said. “I am pleased to support this measure, which has the potential to make our schools safer, healthier places for children.”

E-cigarettes are not permitted to be sold to minors and many districts have taken steps on their own to prohibit their use on school grounds. According to a recent study by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), e-cigarette use among teens has gone up 800 percent since 2011.

This is the second year in a row that Ritchie’s legislation to ban the use of e-cigarettes on school property has cleared the Senate. The measure was sent to the Assembly, where it is sponsored by Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal.