An electronic cigarette and vaping lounge may soon make its way to Natchez.

The Natchez Planning Commission was approached last month by Paula Carter, who is seeking to open the lounge.

“A lot of cities are now allowing a vaping lounge where the only products sold are vapors and e-cigarettes,” said City Planner Frankie Legaux.

E-cigarettes are battery-powered devices that simulate smoking without the smoke.

Legaux said the e-cigarettes vaporize liquid that comes in a variety of flavors including peppermint, ice, menthol ice and others.

Many towns within the U.S. are restricting certain areas from using cigarettes. However, e-cigarettes do not contain tobacco.

In Mississippi, e-cigarettes cannot be sold to anyone under the age of 18.

“Because of the type flavors, the e-cigarettes might appeal to younger people,” Legaux said.

Legaux said the commission is not worried about larger chain stores, which already sell the e-cigarettes.

The commission does however want to protect young people from having easy access to the product.

Because the business purely sells e-cigarettes and vapors, it must be within a B-4 zone, which is a highly commercial zone.

“It may end up as a highway business along U.S. 84 or U.S. 61 North,” Legaux said.

Carter approached the planning commission in early December with the idea of bringing a vaping lounge to Natchez.

“I think it’s important to certain businesses to have (the lounge) in the area where it should be,” Legaux said. “It also takes away from the neighborhoods where kids may be tempted to buy them.”

More detail regarding the vaping lounge will be discussed Jan. 15 during the Planning Commission’s monthly meeting in the City Council Chambers.