“Enough is enough. We cannot let Big Tobacco addict another generation of our kids. Our state laws are out of date and out of touch with what Michigan residents want and need to protect youth and advance racial and health equity,” said Minou Jones, founder of Making It Count and chair of the Detroit Wayne Oakland Tobacco-Free Coalition. “Coalitions in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Flint, Newaygo and other communities across the state are ready to help push this life-saving legislation over the finish line. We look forward to working with lawmakers from all corners of the state to end flavored tobacco sales, hold retailers accountable and put the health of all Michiganders ahead of tobacco industry profits.”
I’ll just call partial bullshit as I’m not exactly sure what the existing laws are regarding vaping and minors. Are persons of questionable age supposed to be “carded” like with alcohol? What is the vaping age in Michigan anyway? 16? 18? 21? In any case, how is this “counterproductive to society as a whole”?
Regarding your quitting smoking questionably thanks to flavored vapes: obviously we don’t know each other and I don’t know your exact circumstances but…
In either case, congratulations. You are no longer a slave to nicotine. Be strong. Nicotine is a powerfully addictive substance with zero benefits. Be it smoking, vaping, gum or patches, a user stops only when they are ready. Like the old joke…
Q: How many psychologists does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: Only one, but the light bulb has to want to change.
The age to buy is 21. You talk about crutches like they’re a bad thing. If people say it helped, it probably did. I gotta say, though, that I disagree with your stance on all this. People should be able to enjoy things even if they’re unhealthy. I use vapes on and off. Every 6 months I’ll stop or start using them. I just think they feel nice. I don’t think the government should be able to take that away. Why do you want to control other people’s choices about their own body so badly?
Easy, killer. I never said I want control of anything…well, except my life and the immediate surrounding area. Yes, I kind of do see vaping-as-aid as a crutch but moreso as a con, preying on people’s weaknesses. If you want something flavored to occupy your mouth and lips, buy a bag of Dum-dums! But otherwise, by all means, continue to throw away your monies on whatever you like.
Again, sincerely, congrats on quitting smoking.
Lmao, so just trade one “crutch” for another I guess. You know sugar is highly addictive as well, right? How much you want to bet obesity kills more kids every year than nicotine?
Seriously? You’re comparing sugar to nicotine? Suckers (the lollipop kind, not the vaping kind) are a major factor of obesity? I thought we were having a semi-intelligence discussion here but I guess not. Thanks anyway. Peace.
Fine with me, your arguments were spurious at best and I’m tired of trying to point that out to you.
You’re right that people have to want to change, so why force it on them by banning flavors of all things? Let the adults have their vices and keep the kids away from them. Simple as.
Firearms are the leading cause of death in children now, but I’ll bet the same people behind this survey aren’t trying to ban those.
Hey, seriously, as far as I’m concerned, you can buy menthol heroin or strawberry exocotin. I do however have a big problem with flavored nicotine whatever being marketed and sold to children. And nobody wants to address that problem because “muh freedoms”.
And firearms are the leading cause of death in children? Whether that’s true or not, that’s because adults bring and store firearms into the home. Guns are undeniably an American cultural problem.
Ok, so just enforce the law that says kids can’t buy them. Flavors are not the problem, I started on nasty-ass tasting cigarettes when I was 17, so why ban flavors for the adults who can legally buy them and want to quit smoking? And who is marketing towards kids? I don’t see any ads on cereal boxes or vapes in Roblox. Kids are dumb as hell and they’ll try dumb things no matter how hard you nanny them.
Here is the link to the New England Journal of Medicine that says firearms are the leading cause of death in children now. Notice that nowhere on that graph do they show nicotine or vapes.
https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMc2201761
Don’t be purposely obtuse, please. Of course nicotine or vaping isn’t going to be on that chart. But apparently you’re OK with hooking 'em young…so they can have other smoking-related diseases when they’re no longer on that chart. And after almost one hundred years of the tobacco industry marketing their product, you think just because you don’t see direct ads on Nickelodeon or cereal boxes that kids aren’t being influenced insidiously. Wow, are you that blind?
And yes, kids are dumb as a bag of hammers. That’s what parenting is all about. Hopefully when the heavy lifting is done, they’re a little smarter than those who made 'em.
How many times in this thread do I have to say this? Enforce the laws already on the books about selling to minors.
Please show me a vape ad directed towards children, I dare you. Actually, I wouldn’t care if you banned all marketing of nicotine products anyway, so go ahead and do that. It’s still not a good reason to ban adults from having flavor in their vegetable glycerin.