LAPEER — Lapeer County youngsters and younger adults can anticipate to be carded extra once they try to buy cigarettes and different tobacco merchandise following signage of laws this week by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
The governor on Thursday signed laws to lift Michigan’s minimal age to buy tobacco merchandise from 18 to 21. The age hike is the results of a invoice signed by President Donald Trump in December 2019. The legislative bundle brings Michigan according to the federal Tobacco 21 laws.
The bundle amends a number of acts to lift the age of sale for retailers, prohibit anybody beneath 21 from getting into a tobacco retail retailer, and prohibit tobacco gross sales by the mail to anybody beneath 21. The bundle additionally revises the disbursement of proceeds from the tax on cigarettes and different tobacco merchandise.
Home Invoice 6108 amends the Youth Tobacco Act to lift the minimal authorized sale of tobacco merchandise, vapor merchandise and different nicotine merchandise from 18 to 21, in alignment in with federal legislation.
In Michigan in 2019, based on estimates by the Michigan Dept. of Well being and Human Companies (MDHHS), 4.5% of highschool college students in Michigan smoked cigarettes on at the very least at some point up to now 30 days. The MDHHS additionally reported in 2019, 20.8% of highschool college students in Michigan used digital vapor merchandise on at the very least at some point up to now 30 days. Nationally, the speed was 32.7%.
In 2019, 2.9% of highschool college students in Michigan used chewing tobacco, snuff or dip on at the very least at some point up to now 30 days. Nationally, the speed was 3.8%.
In 2019, 5.2% of highschool college students in Michigan smoked cigars, cigarillos or little cigars on at the very least at some point up to now 30 days. Nationally, the speed was 5.7%.
Penalties for the sale of tobacco merchandise to under-age people in Michigan stay as much as $100 for the primary offense, as much as $500 for the second offense, and as much as $2,500 for third and subsequent offenses.