LANSING, Mich. (Dec. 18, 2025) — Today, the Michigan Senate passed bipartisan legislation to combat youth tobacco use across the state. Spearheaded by Senate Majority Floor Leader Sam Singh (D-East Lansing) and cosponsored by Sen. Joseph Bellino (R-Monroe), Senate Bills 462 and 465 would require tobacco retailers to be licensed, like the majority of states around the country.
“As the leading cause of preventable death in Michigan and across the nation, tobacco use amongst our youth is a grave and growing public health concern that we must act on immediately,” said Sen. Singh. “By establishing a clear regulatory framework to hold our retailers accountable, we can ensure our kids here in Michigan are afforded the same protections as kids in nearly every other state in the country. I’m grateful to see this legislation pass the Senate today with bipartisan support, and want to extend a special appreciation to the many educators and community partners who have long been advocating for this issue at the Capitol on behalf of our young people. It’s time we get this done.”
Michigan is one of only nine states that do not require the licensure of tobacco establishments, which has been proven to be an effective tobacco control measure. To tackle this public health crisis head-on, this legislation would create stronger enforcement and accountability measures for tobacco retailers through a statewide regulatory system. In addition to the licensure requirement, key components of the bill package include:
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Regular inspections of tobacco establishments to ensure compliance;
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Boosted penalties for retailers that sell tobacco products to minors;
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Regulation of online and delivery tobacco sales;
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Ban on flash sales for tobacco products;
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Creation of a fund within the state treasury for the administration and enforcement of new regulations;
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And more.
These bills now head to the House for further consideration, where similar legislation with bipartisan sponsorship, House Bills 5368–5372, were just introduced this week.