State Rep. Thomas Albert today said the governor made the right decision by signing into law a plan to ban the sale of e-cigarettes to minors and prevent individuals under 18 from possessing vaping products in Michigan.

Senate Bills 106 and 155 make the same reforms Albert proposed in House Bill 4164, which he introduced in February. The bills are now Public Acts 17 and 18 of 2019.

“Through this process the governor’s administration had expressed hesitancy about this legislation. I believe there should be no reservations in trying to protect our children. I am glad the governor supported this first step to start reversing this alarming trend,” Albert said. “These reforms will make it more difficult for kids to get their hands on vaping products and give local school districts the tools they need to keep these items off school grounds.”

Albert said the number of teenagers who use e-cigarettes has increased dramatically over the past few years, prompting parents, teachers and law enforcement officers to reach out to him with concerns. In a recent study, one in five Michigan high school students reported having used an e-cigarette during the previous 30 days.

Albert said teenagers are often under the impression that vaping is safe, but that is not the case. According to the Centers for Disease Control, vaping nicotine can harm adolescent brain development and lead to addiction. Many vaping products also contain diacetyl, which is commonly associated with “popcorn lung” – a condition that damages airways.

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