Michigan becomes the first state to ban flavored e-cigarettes
A student vapes in his living room on Jan. 14 in Herrig Hall.
With names like "Starburst," "Candy-Crash" and "Blue-Razz Lemonade," Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said flavored e-cigarettes cause a “public-health” crisis for minors.
In a recent statement, Whitmer declared Michigan will be the first state to ban flavored e-cigarettes.
The ban, which will be completed and filed within a few weeks, will last for six months. Michigan businesses have 30 days to comply with the ban. The motion came just one week after the first vaping-related death was documented in Illinois.
“As governor, my number one priority is keeping our kids safe,” Whitmer said. “And right now, companies selling vaping products are using candy flavors to hook children on nicotine and misleading claims to promote the belief that these products are safe. That ends today. Our kids deserve leaders who are going to fight to protect them. These bold steps will finally put an end to these irresponsible and deceptive practices and protect Michiganders’ public health.”
In June, Whitmer signed a bill that prohibited the sale of e-cigarettes to minors.
This ban focuses on flavored nicotine products; unflavored and tobacco-flavored products can still be sold.
Since 2014, Central Michigan University has upheld a tobbaco-free campus policy. Even though e-cigarettes do not contain tobacco (some don’t contain nicotine), CMU groups them with traditional cigarettes and other tobacco products.
