Taking a Stand: Michigan is First State to Ban Sales of Flavored E-Cigarettes

To date, seven people have reportedly died from vaping-related causes. These cases stretch across the country, including California, Kansas, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota and Oregon. This is a national issue and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is actively working to try and find answers.

In the meantime, it was announced that Michigan is the first state to ban the sale of flavored e-cigarettes to help curb potential use amongst teens. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered the state health department to issue emergency rules that immediately ban the sale of flavored vaping products that contain nicotine, both in store and online. Furthermore, her office announced that she will limit the marketing of such products. The objective is to prevent these companies from marketing their products as “clean,” “safe” or “healthy.”

Gov. Whitmer’s imposed six-month ban can be renewed for another six months, if deemed necessary. According to a September 2019 Time Magazine online article, the CDC identified 380 confirmed and probable cases of lung disease associated with vaping in 36 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“As governor, I’m going to do it unilaterally until I can get the legislature to adopt a statute and write it into law,” Gov. Whitmer told MSNBC. “This is too important.”

-Dina Barabash, NASBA Content Development & Web Specialist