STATEMENT: State leaders miss opportunity to protect kids, reduce addiction in Michigan budget

LANSING – After Gov. Whitmer signed the Fiscal Year 2027 state budget, the Keep MI Kids Tobacco Free Alliance today issued the following statement: 

“We are extremely disappointed that Michigan leaders ignored the opportunity to significantly reduce tobacco use, prevent addiction and improve the health of Michiganders through this year’s state budget. By failing to increase tobacco taxes, tax e-cigarettes for the first time and make meaningful investments in tobacco prevention and cessation, lawmakers left one of the state's most effective public health tools on the table.

“Michigan continues to lag behind much of the nation when it comes to implementing proven tobacco prevention policies, even as tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death in our state. Increasing tobacco taxes would have helped prevent youth addiction, encouraged thousands of adults to quit, reduced health care costs and generated additional revenue for the state.

“While this budget represents a missed opportunity, we are not giving up on Michigan’s kids. We remain committed to working with policymakers to advance these proven, evidence-based solutions and ensure Michigan makes the investments necessary to protect the next generation from tobacco addiction.

“We are hopeful that legislative leaders will still establish a tobacco retail licensure program, a proven policy to reduce youth access to tobacco and reduce illegal sales to minors, this session. Forty-three states already require tobacco retailers to be licensed. Michigan’s children deserve the same protection as children in nearly every other state.”

- Jodi Radke, Alliance co-chair, regional director at Campaign at Tobacco-Free Kids

- A’Lynne Boles Dukes, PhD, Alliance co-chair and public health advocate