Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer was an early advocate last year of banning the sale of flavored vaping products that are responsible for fueling a teenage nicotine epidemic. But courts continually blocked her efforts after the vaping industry filed a legal challenge that eventually left the measure in limbo. Now the state Senate has passed a bill that would specifically allow individuals to sell flavored vaping products, opening the way for legally sanctioned sales.
The bill also imposes an 18 percent sales tax and increases the age requirement for buying tobacco and vaping products to 21 from 18. Republicans backing the bill say it would offer adults a choice whether to use the products. But it does nothing to regulate the vaping industry’s targeted marketing of flavored devices to underage consumers. This has led to a surge in teenage nicotine use, with about 20 percent of high school students saying they vape.
Meanwhile, Texas might be moving toward acceptance of legalized recreational marijuana, due to a huge budget deficit and economic losses caused by the corona virus lockdown. Marijuana decriminalization and legalization area increasingly popular in the state, and are receiving even more attention because of the financial crisis as well as the criminal justice reform movement.
Supporters say opening cash-strapped Texas to retail sales of pot could provide a new source of income for the state. But missing from the discussion are the increased costs of healthcare—and the negative impact on young people—that are likely to result.