(a) The Charter Township of Clinton through its Board of Trustees finds that it is essential to protect public health, safety, and welfare of the property and persons within the Township by prohibiting persons under the age of 21 years from attempting to, aiding and abetting, or actually possessing, using, or purchasing tobacco products as defined herein, and from prohibiting the attempt, aiding or abetting, in the furnishing or sale of tobacco products to persons under the age of 21.
(b) Within the State of Michigan and within the Charter Township of Clinton, persons die from smoking related diseases at a high rate year such that tobacco use is one of the highest if not the highest cause of preventable death in Michigan, including Clinton Township, continuing to be an urgent public health challenge.
(c) Tobacco use can cause disease in nearly all organ systems and is responsible for approximately 87 percent of lung cancer deaths, 79 percent of all chronic obstructed pulmonary disease deaths and 32 percent of coronary heart disease deaths across the United States.
(d) The Food and Drug Administration has issued regulations prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to persons younger than 21, including smokeless, vapor, and electronic cigarettes, requiring age verification via photo identification, and prohibiting tobacco products being sold in vending machines, unless in an adult only facility.
(e) The World's Health Organization has advised consumers against the use of electronic smoking devices and the World Medical Association has determined that electronic smoking devices are not comparable to scientifically proven methods of smoking cessation and that neither their value as a therapeutic aid for smoking cessation, nor their safety as cigarette replacements has been established.
(f) That on December 20, 2019, an Amendment to the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act became effective, such Act, also known as Tobacco 21 Act, making it illegal for retailers to sell tobacco products at all establishments to persons under the age of 21.
(Ord. 434. Passed 5-30-17; Ord. 434-A. Passed 9-26-22.)