LANSING (WWJ) - Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed 11 bipartisan bills on Thursday, including a legislation package that raises the minimum age of tobacco sales from 18 to 21.
“Today, I am signing several bipartisan bills to protect public health and keep dangerous tobacco products out of the hands of our young people,” said Governor Whitmer in a press release.
The package not only raises the tobacco purchasing age, but also prohibits anyone younger than 21 from entering a tobacco store and bans tobacco products from being sold in the mail to anyone younger than 21.
The legislation includes cigarettes, cigars, vapor products and alternative nicotine products.
“Children and teens should not even be exposed to tobacco products. Period,” said Wayne County Sheriff Raphael Washington in a press release on Thursday. “We have seen study after study showing the effects of nicotine on the developing adolescent brain, and I’m proud to support raising the tobacco purchasing age from 18 to 21. There is no doubt this simple change will save lives.”
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Penalties for the sale of tobacco products to people younger than 21 are up to $100 for the first offense, up to $500 for the second offense and up to $2,500 for third and any following offenses.
In addition, Whitmer signed legislation that addresses the Tobacco Products Tax Act, including:
• Altering the disbursement of tobacco taxes to various public entities
• Expanding and clarifying licensing requirements for those who transport tobacco products
• Allows creditors that acquire a tobacco product by exercising a security interest to sell that product without a license
• Alters compliance standards around the requirement that retailers maintain records on tobacco products going back four years
• Reduces the tax imposed on certain products the FDA has determined to be “modified risk” and closes loopholes in the act created by case law and strengthens the Department of Treasury’s ability to enforce the tobacco tax.
The Keep MI Kids Tobacco Free Alliance slammed the legislation on Thursday, arguing that the bills did nothing to address how the Governors plans to keep tobacco products out of the hands of underage youth.
The Alliance claims the package instead weakens Michigan’s tobacco-control policies.
"We are still facing a youth tobacco epidemic and should be working to strengthen our tobacco control policies to protect our youth, not weakening them,” said Paul Steiner, executive director of Tobacco Free Michigan. “All tobacco products carry risks, even ones labeled “modified-risk” and it’s alarming that our elected leaders are ignoring our concerns and the need to protect our youth.”
The group accuses the governor of "cutting a deal" with JUUL, which they claim was the sole organization supporting SB 720 while roughly 80 organizations across Michigan that make up the Alliance opposed it.
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