“Ninety percent of smokers begin before 18. If we don’t act smart on vapes, we risk our children’s health and futures.”
During her State of the State address, Governor Gretchen Whitmer said that finding ways to stem the teen vaping epidemic is a top priority for her administration.
“I propose closing a longstanding loophole and taxing vapes similar to how we tax cigarettes.”
To that end, Vice President of Behavioral Health for Samaritas Anthony Muller says its vape prevention and treatment programs work with area schools and communities to help teens reduce and, ultimately, end their vape addictions.
“Using vapes for a period of time, adolescents, there is definitely progression of use and addiction symptomology that is important to be addressed.”
Muller says many teens start vaping in middle school falsely thinking that vaping is a healthier substitute to cigarette smoking.
“Again, that’s not accuracy behind it, and then getting the buzz from it. Once people start and it’s so much more powerful in the high concentrates that they have.”
Muller is hopeful treatment programs paired with the governor’s 32% wholesale tax on vapes and oral pouches can curb the teen vaping epidemic.
