By Shelby Stewart-Soldan
ssoldan@mihomepaper.com
Brandon Twp. —  Michigan lawmakers will soon consider legislation to beef up Michigan tobacco prevention laws. Lawmakers say the set of bills are necessary to protect kids and communities from an industry that spends millions in Michigan yearly to keep customers and addict the next generation of users.
During the regular meeting on April 15, the Brandon Board of Education voted unanimously to support the senate bill package Protect MI Kids.
The Senate Bills 647-654 are aimed at changing tobacco laws to include now vaping products. The resolution to support the bills comes after two members of the school board attended a presentation on the proposed legislation.
“We are the least funded state for help against kids using tobacco, and so this bill looks to change that,” said School Board President Rebecca Haynes. “Because the vapes that come out have undone everything that the tobacco industry had to pay for to stop tobacco use because originally vapes are not considered tobacco.”
According to a summary of the Protect MI Kids Bill Package the legislation would end the sale of all flavored tobacco products, including flavored e-cigarettes and menthol-flavored cigarettes; Require tobacco retailers to be licensed, just like liquor retailers, so the state can enforce laws prohibiting the sale of tobacco to minors; Tax e-cigarettes and vaping products containing nicotine for the first time and increasing tobacco taxes with proceeds used to reduce tobacco use among youth; Allow local counties and cities to enact tougher restrictions on tobacco sales within their own community and repeal ineffective penalties that punish kids for tobacco purchase, use and position.
The resolution the board passed would direct the Oakland County Clerk to send the resolution of support to members of the senate, members of the house of representatives, and Governor Whitmer. The legislation would address the lack of effective statewide tobacco prevention policies, according to the resolution.
“So vapes are not taxed, and you do not need to have a tobacco license to sell them, They don’t have any kind of regulations, they’re not able to regulate it, so this group is looking to change it,” said Haynes to the audience at the school board meeting.
“I’m seeing your faces, we were just as surprised. You think of all the efforts that have been made to get people to stop smoking has pretty much just been undone with vapes.”
The bill package was referred to the committee of regulatory affairs in the senate in November of 2023. There is not yet a date set for a hearing on this legislation.
Locally, Senator Ruth Johnson (R-24th District) said she feels the legislation is too restrictive.
“I’m very open to looking at ideas that help protect our kids, but this legislation would go far beyond that,” said Johnson.
“These bills would actually allow a city, township, village, or even an entire county to completely ban the sale of all tobacco products in their borders,” she said.
“The bills would also raise the taxes on all tobacco products by 75% or more. That goes far beyond trying to address youth vaping in my opinion.”