Governor bans flavored vaping products.

Governor bans flavored vaping products.

LANSING — On Tuesday, September 3, 2019, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to issue emergency rules to ban the sale of flavored vaping products in retail stores and online, making Michigan the first state in the nation to ban flavored vaping products. Also banned is any misleading marketing of vaping products, including the use of terms like “clean,” “safe,” and “healthy” that perpetuate beliefs that these products are harmless. The Michigan Department of Transportation is also ordered by the Governor to enforce an existing statute to prohibit the advertising of vapor products on billboards.

Kevin Hughes, health officer for District Health Department #10 said he supports the Governor’s actions regarding vaping and e-cigarette products. “With the increase in vaping-related respiratory illnesses in Michigan, and across the country, this prompt legislation is necessary to protect our youth from the health risks associated with the use of e-cigarettes and vaping,” Hughes said.

According to a recent press release from the Governor’s office, e-cigarette use spiked 78% among high school students and 48% among middle school students from 2017 to 2018. In 2018, more than 3.6 million U.S. kids, including one in five high school students and one in 20 middle school students were regular users. These rates are still climbing, likely fueled by the availability of flavors akin to apple juice, bubble gum, and Nerds.

“Flavors make vaping more attractive to kids and some flavored e-cigarettes, particularly those with cinnamon, vanilla, fruit, popcorn, caramel, and coffee flavors, have been found to be more irritating and toxic to our airways,” said Dr. Jennifer Morse, medical director of District Health Department #10. “With over 200 illnesses and one death associated to vaping identified so far, with no one single common factor other than vaping identified, all vaping with or without flavored liquids should be seen as dangerous.”