GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Governor Gretchen Whitmer released emergency rules banning flavored nicotine vaping products on Wednesday in response to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services finding of a public health emergency created by skyrocketing levels of youth vaping.
Michigan was the first state in the nation to ban the sale of flavored nicotine vaping products such as e-cigarettes.
Whitmer's emergency rules are effective immediately, but retails and resellers — including online sellers — have 14 days to comply.
“I’m proud that Michigan has been a national leader in protecting our kids from the harmful effects of vaping,” Whitmer said. “For too long, companies have gotten our kids hooked on nicotine by marketing candy-flavored vaping products as safe. That ends today. This bold action will protect our kids and our overall public health.”
The White House followed Michigan's lead with a call for similar action by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The rules are effective for 180 days and can be extended for six months. MDHHS has also filed a request for rulemaking which will allow the department to promote permanent rules to keep Michiganders safe from the harmful effects of nicotine.
From 2017 to 2018, e-cigarette use spiked 78% among high school students and 48% among middle school students. More than 3.6 million kids in 2018 were regular users, including 1 in 5 high schoolers and 1 in 20 middle schoolers.
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EDITOR'S NOTE: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the flavored vaping ban went into effect on Wednesday, Sept. 25. It does not. It goes into effect Wednesday, Oct. 2.
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