Currently, Michigan law says that you have to be 18 years of age to purchase tobacco products. This includes cigarettes, chewing tobacco, dip, cigars, and cigarillos. What the list doesn’t include, however, is e-cigarettes and other nicotine vapor products. As a result of this loophole, teens all over Michigan have been able to purchase and use these products for several years now. This has been noticed by several people as an ongoing problem in Ingham, Eaton and Clinton Counties.
There is currently a federal law on the books prohibiting teens under the age of 18 from purchasing e-cigarettes. However, the fact that Michigan doesn’t have that law in place is an issue of concern for Senator Rick Jones. According to Jones, Michigan law echoing what is already in place in Federal law will “close a loophole” that currently might promote underaged smoking.
Jones says that he thinks e-cigarettes are potentially a great way for adult smokers to quit the habit. But he also believes that they can do exactly the opposite for minors – allow access to nicotine before the age of 18, which can promote early addiction. “We can never prevent a high school student from trying a cigarette or a nicotine product for the first time.” Jones explains, “However, I want to make sure that the stores that sell this sort of product to children are penalized.”
According to Jones’ proposed bill, nicotine vapour products and e-cigarettes would both be classified in the same category as cigarettes and other tobacco products. This is an important step for those who hope to get this bill passed the Governor’s desk. Proposed legislation meant to ban sales to minor have been vetoed by Governor Snyder in the past.
The reason, according to the Governor, wasn’t because he didn’t support the idea behind the bill. The real reason, he explained, was because previous bills didn’t address the issue of how e-cigarettes and other alternative nicotine products were classified under the law. The Governor says that he wanted the classifications changed, so that all alternative nicotine products would be treated in the same way as traditional tobacco products.
As of now, Michigan is one of a small handful of states that still have no laws on the books regulating the sale of e-cigarettes to minor. According to a map provided by the Public Health Law Center, Michigan doesn’t regulate the sale of e-cigarettes to minors, nor does it have any laws governing smoke free public zones, or even place any special taxes on the e-cigarette.
For adult smokers of e-cigarettes, this proposed bill will change nothing. However, for minors that are used to being able to purchase and consume alternative nicotine products as a replacement for the cigarettes that they cannot legally have, this will be significant. We will continue to watch this bill, and will keep you updated on any changes to Michigan law that result.