GENESEE COUNTY, MI -- A Monday, May 22, hearing for a lawsuit against Genesee County over an ordinance pushing the tobacco-buying age up to 21 years old has been delayed.

The hearing date has been moved to June 19 in front of Genesee County Circuit Judge Judith Fullerton at the request of Michigan-based RPF Oil Company, with any enforcement delayed until that date.

The lawsuit argues the ordinance approved by the Board of Commissioners in February is in direct conflict with the Age of Majority Act that states anyone 18 and older "is an adult of legal age for all purposes whatsoever."

Genesee County Health Department, the agency tasked with enforcement of the ordinance, has been named as a defendant in the lawsuit. The enforcement was set to go into effect May 15.

Commissioners voted Monday morning to go into closed session to discuss the issue with RPF, but District 6 Commissioner Drew Shapiro opposed the move and the initial ordinance.

Raising Genesee County tobacco buying age to 21 on hold after lawsuit

"I think it's irresponsible and reckless for my colleagues on the board of commissioners to put us in a position where they're pitting us against the state of Michigan and using taxpayer dollars to fight an unwinnable lawsuit," he recently commented.

Shapiro argued his fellow commissioners "feel they are on moral high ground here" and they aren't able to "separate emotion from this issue."

But Chairman Mark Young said the ordinance is needed "to help protect our younger people going forward" and supported moving forward to try and enforce the language.

While Shapiro pointed out Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette issued an opinion claiming the age change went against state law after the city of Ann Arbor moved to raise the tobacco purchasing age to 21, Young countered the opinion "does not have the same power as law."

Expressing disappointment that Genesee County "ended up being a ground zero on this Tobacco 21 ordinance," Young said he wished the party involved in the lawsuit were more concerned about the health of the young rather than "just trying to make money off them at their own detriment."