Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and President Donald Trump don’t agree much, but they both agree on this one issue: banning flavored e-cigarettes.
The White House banned these vaping products Tuesday after the country has experienced an outbreak in vaping-related health problems. So far, six people have died from a mysterious lung disease related to vaping. Furthermore, the Center for Disease Control is investigating another 450 sickness cases in 33 states caused by e-cigarettes.
“I’m glad this administration is doing the right thing and following Michigan’s lead to ban flavored vaping products,” Whitmer said in a statement. “This is great news for our kids, our families, and our overall public health. Right now, companies are getting our kids hooked on nicotine by marketing flavors like apple juice, bubble gum, and candy. Banning these flavors is a bold step that will keep our kids healthy and safe from the harmful effects of vaping. I’m proud that Michigan has been a leader on this issue, and I’m ready to continue working to protect our kids and our public health.”
NATIONAL NARRATIVE-BUILDING ALERT: "Governor Whitmer Applauds White House for Following Michigan’s Lead, Banning Flavored Vaping Products" pic.twitter.com/9XKgjRIAhS
— Chad Livengood (@ChadLivengood) September 11, 2019
Last week, Michigan became the first state in America to ban e-flavor cigarettes.
“As governor, my number one priority is keeping our kids safe,” the governor said. “And right now, companies selling vaping products are using candy flavors to hook children on nicotine and misleading claims to promote the belief that these products are safe. That ends today.”
The Trump Administration decided to ban these vaping products over its concern about the “epidemic of youth e-cigarette use,” according to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar.
“We will not stand idly by as these products become an on-ramp to combustible cigarettes or nicotine addiction for a generation of youth,” he said.
.@SecAzar on President @realDonaldTrump's e-cigarette announcement: pic.twitter.com/HYp8l4KCUW
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 11, 2019
The FDA plans to share more on the specific details of the plan and its implementation soon, according to the HHS.
A 2018 National Youth Tobacco Survey showed over 3.6 million middle and high school students had used an e-cigarette, which was an increase of 1.5 million kids from 2017.
On Monday, the FDA sent a warning letter to Juul, the popular e-cigarette company, criticizing Juul’s claim that e-cigarettes are a healthier option to smoking cigarettes. The FDA told the company to stop false claims about the products it sells. Also, the FDA sent another letter to Juul requesting information about is target marketing practices.
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Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of Battleground State News. Follow Zachery on Twitter.
Photo “Gretchen Whitmer” by Gretchen Whitmer.
[…] to ban e-cigarette products after the state of Michigan declared it a public health emergency. As The Michigan Star reported last week, the White House banned vaping products after America saw an increase in […]
[…] to ban e-cigarette products after the state of Michigan declared it a public health emergency. As The Michigan Star reported last week, the White House banned vaping products after America saw an increase in […]