Macomb Daily: Action is needed to protect my kid and yours, too

By Jennifer Jackson

Guest Opinion

Tobacco is one of the leading causes of preventable death here in Michigan, yet our state’s tobacco policies are extremely weak and don’t protect our kids. Countless retailers across the state are selling to our youth, illegally of course, and starting them down the pathway to addiction.

As someone with a child who vapes, it would break my heart to witness my child be among the 16,200 Michiganders that die each year from tobacco use. So much of this struggle could be avoided if lawmakers enacted policies to protect not only my child, but all our kids.

My son started vaping in high school. He wanted to fit in and the school bathroom was the place to get vapes, to feel cool and validated. He fell victim to peer pressure.

I didn’t realize he was vaping right away. But then his behavior changed and I began finding split chargers around the house. What I found on related YouTube videos was a shock to my system. Then I discovered he was picking up discarded vapes on the side of the road, trading food for vapes on his school lunch account and hiding vapes in his socks, tips of his shoes, and underwear to sneak them past me.

My son is addicted but has no urge to quit and I had no idea how bad things could get. I’ve tried consequences and random drug screening. He’s gotten into trouble in school and with the court. He continues in therapeutic outpatient treatment, but even being hospitalized was not motivation enough for him to stop.

My child is not the only one using e-cigarettes. In fact, 14 percent of Michigan high schoolers already use e-cigarettes, according to the CDC. That is 14 percent of high schoolers who are headed down a dangerous path filled with health issues and high costs if we don’t take action to keep these products away from them. I learned as a volunteer with Parents Against Vaping, I may have reason to be hopeful. New legislation has been introduced to combat this growing problem, including Senate Bill 648, which would raise tobacco prices, tax e-cigarettes, and dedicate funds to prevention services so our youth can live long and healthy lives.

Of course it’s illegal for youth to have these products, but that’s not stopping retailers from making them available to them. There is no true enforcement in Michigan. The state doesn’t require retailers to have licenses to sell, resulting in no accountability for selling and marketing to our youth who want the products. Youth access to vapes is everywhere. Luckily, Senate Bills 651 and 652 would ensure retailers will be held accountable for these actions and will lead to fewer sales to minors. The bills would establish what is known as Tobacco Retail Licensing, a policy that would dramatically help decrease the number of youth who access and use e-cigarettes.

These bills would be a game changer in combating tobacco use among youth. I have seen firsthand what vaping can do to a child. While the solution to this problem isn’t easy, and it’s not going to happen overnight, the comprehensive policy bill package being considered in Lansing will help Michigan make an about face in protecting our youth. Together we can limit youth access and consumption of these dangerous products and prevent tobacco deaths and illnesses from it. On behalf of my family and parents out there who are in the same boat, I encourage lawmakers to advance the Protect MI Kids bill package soon. Our kids’ futures depend on it.

Jennifer Jackson is the mother of a Macomb County student and a volunteer with Parents Against Vaping E-Cigarettes.