Michigan to become first state to ban flavored e-cigarettes

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan said Wednesday that her state would be the first to outlaw the sale of flavored e-cigarettes, part of a national crackdown on vaping amid a recent spike in illnesses tied to the products (Source: “Amid Vaping Crackdown, Michigan to Ban Sale of Flavored E-Cigarettes,” New York Times, Sept. 4, 2019).

Whitmer said the decision came in response to increased e-cigarette use among teenagers and marketing that she said targeted youths.

The move in Michigan is part of a wave of growing pressure from politicians around the country for more regulation of e-cigarettes and their use by teenagers. Several state attorneys general have called for the federal government to ban flavored e-cigarettes, and bills to stop sales of flavored vaping products have been introduced in California and Massachusetts.

In recent weeks, public health agencies have reported a number of serious illnesses believed to be tied to vaping, including a death in Illinois, raising questions about the products’ safety at any age. This week, Oregon health officials said they were investigating the death of another person, who had used a vaping device containing cannabis. The health department in Milwaukee and the Illinois attorney general have issued statements urging people not to use e-cigarettes. This year, San Francisco became the first American city to ban the sale of the products.