I think Floridians must just have some sort of general grudge against vaping anyway. Back in 2014 when my husband and I went down there on vacation, there was a sign in the Amtrak station stating "No Smoking - This Includes Electronic Cigarettes." In 2014!!!
It may be interesting to note that I saw more vapers down there in five days than I'd seen in my whole life before, so perhaps Tampa was a place where vaping caught on much earlier than where I live. Obviously the ban against vaping inside was in force, because most of the vapers I saw were office people out standing on the sidewalk in front of their office buildings, vaping.
I still say that if my coworkers can come in dowsed in Red Door perfume or Nautica after-shave, or they can spray Lysol spray in the bathroom so thick that you CANNOT BREATHE, by god I can hit my 12 WATT vape 4 times a day at my damn desk. If I have to hold the vapor in until it disappears, then I guess that's what I'll do.
incidentally, Lakeland, where Lucy's quoted article is from, is only about 40 miles from Tampa. Used to live down there when I was a kid.