Michigan Governor to Ban Sale of Flavored E-Cigarettes

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan said Wednesday that she would outlaw the sale of flavored e-cigarettes in her state, part of a national crackdown on vaping amid a recent spike in illnesses tied to the products.

Ms. Whitmer, whose office said she would be the first governor to issue an outright ban on flavored nicotine vaping products, said the decision came in response to increased e-cigarette use among teenagers and marketing that she said targeted youths. Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, the state’s chief medical executive, called youth vaping a public health crisis.

“As governor, my number one priority is keeping our kids safe,” Ms. Whitmer, a Democrat, said in a statement. “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.”

Ms. Whitmer’s order will ban the sale of flavored vaping products in stores and online. She also instructed state health officials to stop any advertising or marketing of the products that uses terms like “clean,” “safe,” or “healthy.” Tiffany Brown, a spokeswoman for Ms. Whitmer, said the new rules would be put in place in the next few weeks, and that businesses would then have a month to comply.

Source: The New York Times

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