Michigan bans flavored e-cigarettes, first state in country

Starting Wednesday, Michigan will be the first state to ban flavored e-cigarettes.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said she hopes the move will protect young people from the side effects that come with vaping, according to The Washington Post.

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Whitmer said companies that make the flavors used in vaping create sweet ones like bubble gum and fruity flavors to get kids hooked on nicotine.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services issued the emergency rules at Whitmer's direction, The Detroit News reported.

The ban will impact retail and online sales and will be in effect for six months with the option to renew it for another six-month period.

State officials are also looking to make a permanent ban, but admit that the rules they develop could be blocked by lawmakers. But legislation blocking a ban could be overturned by the governor's veto.

Sweet flavors are not the only ones subject to the ban. Mint or menthol also are banned, but tobacco-flavored e-cigarettes are not, The Washington Post reported.

Businesses have 30 days to comply with the ban starting today.

Michigan is not the only area trying to snuff out e-cigarettes.

San Francisco banned the sale and distribution of all e-cigarettes in June, with the law going into effect next year, according to the Post.

Advocates of e-cigarettes say they are safer than normal cigarette smoking, but many health professionals are seeing an uptick in lung illnesses, and one death, attributed to vaping, the Post reported.

Last year, the Food and Drug Administration said that more middle and high school students are vaping and they've started making a move to limit sales to minors, but the plan is yet to be finalized, The Washington Post reported.

Meanwhile, JUUL has responded to the ban, while company officials agree that flavors that would appeal to kids should not be sold, they don't agree with including menthol or mint in the ban.

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