Michigan to be first US state to ban e-cigarettes

Michigan will be the first state in the US to ban flavored e-cigarettes, which, according to the governor, is necessary to protect youth from the potentially harmful effects of vaping, Washington Post reported.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in an interview Tuesday that she ordered the ban after the state health department found youth vaping constituted a public health emergency.

“My number one priority is keeping our kids safe and protecting the health of the people of Michigan,” Whitmer said. The action was officially announced Wednesday.

According to her, companies producing e-cigarettes use sweet flavors to hook young people to nicotine, which can lead to long-term harmful consequences.

The ban, which applies to both retail and online sales, takes effect immediately and will be valid for six months. It can be extended for another six months. At the same time, according to government officials, they will develop permanent rules prohibiting flavored electronic cigarettes.

Whitmer also barred what she called misleading descriptions of vapor products as “clear,” “safe” and “healthy” and ordered the enforcement of an existing ban on billboard advertising for e-cigarettes.

The State Department of Health and Human Services has conducted studies showing that vaping products contain various chemicals and metal particles whose long-term health effects are unknown.

The department noted that nicotine can affect the developing brain and that studies show that young people who are fond of vaping are more likely to smoke regular cigarettes.