LANSING — A new bill in the Michigan House would prohibit minors from using e-cigarettes and other alternative nicotine products.

Federal law prohibits the sale of tobacco products to minors, including vapor products. However, Michigan does not have any laws preventing minors from possessing the products.

House Bill 4017, introduced by State Rep. Sue Allor, R-Wolverine, would change that. It would make it a misdemeanor for anyone younger than 18 to purchase, attempt to purchase, possess, attempt to possess or use these products. The misdemeanor charge would carry penalties including fines of $50, 16 hours of community service and participation in a health promotion and risk reduction program.

For any additional offenses, the required community services hours would rise to 32 with a second offense and 48 with a third offense.

Vaping has become increasingly popular with teenagers, particularly after the 2016 introduction of the Juul, an e-cigarette that looks like a flash drive and has a type of vapor inhalation that can go completely undetected by adults.

The federally funded Monitoring the Future Survey, conducted by the University of Michigan, found that twice as many high school students used nicotine-tinged e-cigarettes in 2018 compared with 2017. The findings, based on a survey of 45,000 eighth, 10th and 12th grade students, suggested 1.3 million students used e-cigarettes.

The researchers said it was the largest single-year increase in the survey's 44-year history, surpassing a surge in marijuana smoking in the 1970s.

In 2017, 32 percent of Ottawa County teens reported having used an electronic vapor product, according to the most recent Ottawa County Youth Assessment Survey. While that percentage is lower than the national level (42 percent), it’s an increase from 2015, when 25 percent of local teens admitted that they had vaped.

Many high schools have prohibited possession of vaping devices as they've grown more popular.



“We would treat it much like cigarettes were treated by most schools years ago,” West Ottawa High School Principal Todd Tulgestke told The Sentinel in July. “It’s no different than a student with a pack of cigarettes to us. It’s not permitted on school property or at school-sponsored activities.”



Tulgestke said vaping hasn’t been a huge problem at West Ottawa, but he knows it’s out there. He said its an issue for many area principals.

Since e-cigarettes are fairly recent, there are not many studies on health risks, and any long-term health risks are unknown. However, many of the products contain nicotine, which is highly addictive and can harm adolescent brain development, which continues into the early to mid-20s.

Many states have put restrictions on vaping for both minors and adults. Eleven states — California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Utah and Vermont — have a statewide ban on vaping in public places where smoking is also banned. Various cities and municipalities across the United States have enacted similar bans.

In Michigan, Washtenaw County has banned e-cigarettes in all enclosed workplaces, exempting bars and restaurants. Canton Township has made it a misdemeanor for minors to use e-cigarettes.

The bill has been referred to the House Committee on regulatory reform.

— Follow this reporter on Twitter @SentinelErin.