Tobacco buying by underage adolescents a violation punishable by a fine as high as $50.
House bill penalizes teens who buy tobacco
May 12, 2006
Gary Heinlein / Detroit News Lansing Bureau
Gary Heinlein / Detroit News Lansing Bureau
School officer vote
Here’s how Metro Detroit members of the Michigan Senate voted Tuesday on Senate Bill 1233, which passed 21-17. It would require the Detroit Schools to have its law enforcement agency authorized by the Wayne County sheriff. The measure would amend a 2004 law that requires approval from police chiefs, prosecutors — and sheriffs in all other counties — for law enforcement agencies run by school districts or park districts. Detroit lawmakers argue the plan would create an unnecessary additional hurdle for the Detroit Schools as they go through the process of gaining approval for their public safety program.
Voting “yes” were: Michael Bishop, R-Rochester; Nancy Cassis, R-Novi; Shirley Johnson, R-Troy; Bruce Patterson, R-Canton; Alan Sanborn, R-Richmond; and Laura Toy, R-Livonia.
Voting “no” were: Raymond Basham, D-Taylor; Hansen Clarke, D-Detroit; Irma Clarke-Coleman, D-Detroit; Valde Garcia, R-Howell; Gilda Jacobs, D-Huntington Woods; Burton Leland, D-Detroit; Dennis Olshove, D-Warren; Martha Scott, D-Highland Park; Michael Switalski, D-Roseville; and Buzz Thomas, D-Detroit.
LANSING — The House has passed a bill closing a loophole in Michigan’s Youth Tobacco Act by making it illegal for teens under 18 to buy or attempt to buy cigarettes or other tobacco products.
Here’s how Metro Detroit members of the Michigan Senate voted Tuesday on Senate Bill 1233, which passed 21-17. It would require the Detroit Schools to have its law enforcement agency authorized by the Wayne County sheriff. The measure would amend a 2004 law that requires approval from police chiefs, prosecutors — and sheriffs in all other counties — for law enforcement agencies run by school districts or park districts. Detroit lawmakers argue the plan would create an unnecessary additional hurdle for the Detroit Schools as they go through the process of gaining approval for their public safety program.
Voting “yes” were: Michael Bishop, R-Rochester; Nancy Cassis, R-Novi; Shirley Johnson, R-Troy; Bruce Patterson, R-Canton; Alan Sanborn, R-Richmond; and Laura Toy, R-Livonia.
Voting “no” were: Raymond Basham, D-Taylor; Hansen Clarke, D-Detroit; Irma Clarke-Coleman, D-Detroit; Valde Garcia, R-Howell; Gilda Jacobs, D-Huntington Woods; Burton Leland, D-Detroit; Dennis Olshove, D-Warren; Martha Scott, D-Highland Park; Michael Switalski, D-Roseville; and Buzz Thomas, D-Detroit.
LANSING — The House has passed a bill closing a loophole in Michigan’s Youth Tobacco Act by making it illegal for teens under 18 to buy or attempt to buy cigarettes or other tobacco products.
The measure, approved on a 101-4 vote Tuesday, would make tobacco buying by underage adolescents a violation punishable by a fine as high as $50.
Offenders couldn’t be sent to jail, but judges could order them to perform community service or attend anti-smoking classes.
It’s already against Michigan law to sell or furnish tobacco products to minors, or for those youths to use tobacco in public. The law, however, carries no penalty for minors who buy smoking or chewing tobacco.
Backers of the bill, which primarily is sponsored by Republican Rep. David Law of Commerce Township, argue that the state’s regulations haven’t done enough to curb teen smoking. They maintain that closing the loophole would help.
Supporters include grocers and other retailers, who say it’s unfair that they and their employees can be prosecuted if they sell tobacco to minors while teens who buy the products suffer no consequences.
Opponents include Michigan chapters of the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association and American Lung Association, whose leaders argue the proposal would do little to further reduce teen smoking.
Those organizations say lawmakers would do better to focus on prohibiting smoking in public places. Research indicates that smoking rates decrease when people have access to smoke-free restaurants, bowling alleys, parks and workplaces, they say.
Available evidence suggests that smoking by teenagers is on the decline in Michigan.
The percentage of teens in grades 9-12 who smoke, or have smoked, dropped from nearly 40 percent in 1995 to 27.6 percent six years later, according to the Department of Community Health’s most recent Healthy Michigan Report.
Health officials attribute the drop in teen smoking to law enforcement, education and high tobacco taxes.
Nevertheless, they project that more than 255,000 of today’s youths ultimately will die from smoking-related diseases.
The legislation, House Bill 5396, has been sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
You can reach Gary Heinlein at (313) 222-2470 or gheinlein@detnews.com.
