Updates About Public Health

Governor Gretchen Whitmer has introduced a proposal to tax vaping products and nicotine pouches at the same 32% wholesale rate that currently applies to non-cigarette tobacco products like cigars and chewing tobacco. Named in the governor’s executive budget recommendation, her administration argues that this change would close a loophole in state law that allowed these nicotine products to avoid taxation. The executive office estimates the new tax could generate approximately $57 million annually, with funds earmarked for programs focusing on smoking prevention, expanded healthcare access, and adolescent mental health initiatives.

Thirty-two states already tax vaping products in some form, due to studies that link higher tobacco taxes to reduced consumption. With a CDC survey indicating that 14% of Michigan high schoolers have used vapes in the past month, all can agree that action is necessary. However, Whitmer’s proposal is expected to face opposition in the Michigan Legislature, where the House Republican majority has historically resisted new taxes.

The Michigan Court of Claims issued a temporary order blocking the enforcement of a 24-hour waiting period, mandatory informed consent, and a ban on non-physician professionals providing abortion services. Judge Sima Patel ruled that these regulations conflict with Proposal 22-3, which grants constitutional protections for reproductive freedom, including the right to abortion care without unnecessary burdens. Judge Patel did not suspend all parts of the informed consent law; the requirement that abortion providers must ensure patients are not being coerced into the procedure is being upheld. Supporters of the order argued that delaying abortion care causes significant harm since it is time-sensitive and becomes riskier with time. Governor Gretchen Whitmer praised the decision, stating that the 24-hour waiting period and other regulations were unjustified barriers to reproductive health care.

Last year, Democrats in the Michigan House of Representatives attempted to repeal the waiting period and informed consent laws but did not have enough votes to pass the legislation. The case will continue, with further proceedings expected to address what happens next.

During a recent visit to a Neighborhood Wellness Center in Detroit, Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II highlighted the state’s $17 million investment into 22 centers aimed at reducing racial health disparities. These centers provide free preventive health screenings and are strategically located to serve underserved communities. The centers offer services including screenings for blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol, as well as flu and COVID-19 testing.

In addition to preventive health screenings, the centers also focus on substance use disorder prevention, piloting programs at seven sites with $250,000 from opioid settlement funds. These pilot sites offer free naloxone access and prevention education for combating the opioid crisis. Community health workers are available to assist with social determinants of health, including food, transportation, and housing. They also provide health counseling and referrals to primary care and senior services. This initiative is just one example of the state’s ongoing efforts to improve health care accessibility.

Find a Neighborhood Wellness Center near you.