Help Us Stand Up to the Vape Ban!
On September 4, 2019, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced her intent to ban flavored vaping products in the state of Michigan. Within hours, the DEFEND MI RIGHTS Coalition, a 501 (c)(6) association, was formed to oppose that ban. Here’s what you need to know:
What is Defend MI Rights?
We are an alliance of business owners and key stakeholders who have come together to join in united action. Rather than each business fighting the Michigan flavor ban individually, DEFEND MI RIGHTS believes that there is strength in numbers. Far more can be by pooling our resources together!
How is DEFEND MI RIGHTS going to stop the ban?
There are two key paths to stop the ban.
- State and Federal Lawsuits
- Business owners have filed suits at the state and federal level seeking to stop the ban. Our attempts at a temporary restraining order have been unsuccessful. However, we are also seeking preliminary injunctions with hearings that will occur this week at the state level and in the next 12 days at the federal level. Should the state preliminary injunction be denied, there are jurisdictional challenges that can be made to send this matter back to the intended court.
- A Legislative Fix
- The legal challenges are only a temporary solution. Any lasting fix will require the Michigan legislature. Our goal is to develop legislation that will strengthen regulations to ensure products stay out of the hands of Michigan youth.
Who is on the DEFEND MI RIGHTS team?
We have assembled the very best attorneys, lobbyists and PR firms who are fighting daily in Lansing and across the state to end this unnecessary ban. The law firm Honigman Miller is representing the plaintiffs in the lawsuits. Numerous lobbying firms are working on behalf of the Coalition for a legislative solution in Lansing, and former Attorney General Spokesperson Andrea Bitely is leading the public relations effort.
DONATE TODAY To help DEFEND MI RIGHTS put an end to the ban!
Our team cannot keep up a multi-pronged legal and legislative battle without your support. Visit www.DefendMiRights.com to make your contribution toward ending the ban.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text text_larger=”no”]
Here’s Why a Ban is Wrong for Michigan
- It kills jobs. Hundreds of businesses will be forced to close and thousands of hard-working Michiganders will lose their jobs if the ban goes into effect. This will harm communities throughout Michigan.
- It’s unprecedented. The state has never before banned an entirely legal industry, killing 800 businesses and 4,500 jobs without any legislative debate or public input whatsoever. If the governor can eliminate vaping with the stroke of a pen, what’s to stop her from eliminating other industries she doesn’t like?
- Bans don’t work. As we have seen with alcohol and marijuana, prohibition doesn’t work. By outlawing the vape products currently sold in stores, we are opening up a black market of products where there is no regulation of what goes into them.
- It wastes law enforcement resources. Enforcing prohibition of flavored vape products will pull law enforcement resources away from real issues impacting our communities like violent crime and the opioid epidemic.
- It’s bad for consumers. In addition to being ineffective, the ban of non-tobacco flavors could also push current users back to combustible cigarettes.
We need the legislature to enforce and strengthen our current laws to keep harmful products away from children — not ban them for adults!