Editing Openai/67bf8528-f2b8-8002-85a0-0cfcb5bcc53c (section)

==== When the Penalty Outweighs the Offense ====

A key criticism of laws that penalize minors for tobacco use is that the punishment can sometimes outweigh the offense, in both immediate impact and broader life consequences. After all, underage smoking or vaping is often viewed as a health risk behavior or a youthful mistake – not a malicious crime. Yet treating it as a juvenile offense means a teen could end up entangled in the legal system. Even though Michigan’s penalties are mild on paper, there can be ripple effects:
* Criminal Record: A misdemeanor on a youth’s record (possible for repeat tobacco offenses in Michigancasetext.com<ref>{{cite web|title=casetext.com|url=https://casetext.com/statute/michigan-compiled-laws/chapter-722-children/youth-tobacco-act/section-722642-prohibited-conduct-by-minor-for-tobacco-products-vapor-products-or-alternative-nicotine-products-violation-and-penalties-participation-in-health-promotion-and-risk-reduction-assessment-program-costs-community-service-exceptions-other-violations#:~:text=violation%20of%20subsection%20,3%29%20do%20not%20apply|publisher=casetext.com|access-date=2025-11-30}}</ref>) might later affect college applications, military enlistment, or employment, unless it’s expunged. One might argue that a 17-year-old having a permanent criminal record for smoking a cigar is a disproportionate outcome. The legal process itself can be intimidating for a minor – being summoned to court, needing to explain oneself to a judge – which is a heavy experience for a behavior that primarily harms only the user.
* Financial and Familial Strain: Fines and court fees, while seemingly small, can burden low-income families. A $50 fine plus court costs might be hard to pay for some youths (who likely have no income) or their parents. If the family can’t pay, it could lead to further court involvement or collections. For a teen from a disadvantaged background, even completing community service can be harder (lack of transportation to the service site, etc.). Research highlighted that youth from low-income communities may struggle to fulfill such penalties, leading to escalating consequences or repeated court visitschangelabsolutions.org<ref>{{cite web|title=changelabsolutions.org|url=https://www.changelabsolutions.org/sites/default/files/2019-05/PUPinSmoke_FINAL_2019-04-17.pdf#:~:text=are%20more%20likely%20to%20smoke,Further%2C%20the%20resulting|publisher=changelabsolutions.org|access-date=2025-11-30}}</ref>. In these cases, the penalty (unpaid fines, additional hearings, potential probation violations) quickly becomes more traumatic than the original act of using a vape.
* Disproportionate Enforcement: There are ethical concerns that enforcement of these laws isn’t equal across all groups. Studies have found that youth of color are more likely to be cited for tobacco possession than their white peers, even accounting for usage rateschangelabsolutions.org<ref>{{cite web|title=changelabsolutions.org|url=https://www.changelabsolutions.org/sites/default/files/2019-05/PUPinSmoke_FINAL_2019-04-17.pdf#:~:text=PUP%20laws%20are%20inequitable%20because,12%20These%20findings|publisher=changelabsolutions.org|access-date=2025-11-30}}</ref>. If, for example, minority teens bear the brunt of police citations, they suffer the penalties more often, exacerbating existing social inequalities. This raises the question of justice: a law intended to protect kids might end up stigmatizing and penalizing some groups more than others. A citation that one teen might brush off could, for another teen, become a gateway into the juvenile justice system. As ChangeLab Solutions notes, PUP laws can be inequitably enforced and add to the disproportionate policing of marginalized youthchangelabsolutions.org<ref>{{cite web|title=changelabsolutions.org|url=https://www.changelabsolutions.org/sites/default/files/2019-05/PUPinSmoke_FINAL_2019-04-17.pdf#:~:text=Are%20Ineffective%20and%20Inequitable%20Laws,control%20advocates%20with%20effective%20alternatives|publisher=changelabsolutions.org|access-date=2025-11-30}}</ref>changelabsolutions.org<ref>{{cite web|title=changelabsolutions.org|url=https://www.changelabsolutions.org/sites/default/files/2019-05/PUPinSmoke_FINAL_2019-04-17.pdf#:~:text=PUP%20laws%20are%20inequitable%20because,12%20These%20findings|publisher=changelabsolutions.org|access-date=2025-11-30}}</ref>. In those instances, the societal “penalty” – further marginalization of already at-risk youth – outweighs the health benefit of discouraging that one instance of smoking.

From a philosophical standpoint, many see underage smoking/vaping primarily as a public health issue rather than a criminal one. The ethical debate centers on whether we should punish behavior that largely only harms the individual (the minor) rather than others. Unlike crimes that have victims, a teen who smokes is endangering themselves and perhaps annoying bystanders, but not stealing or assaulting. Thus, some feel that criminalizing the behavior is an overreach – “the cure might be worse than the disease.” If a legal response ends up labeling a teen as a “delinquent” or causing them stress and hardship, it might do more harm to that teen’s future than the nicotine use would have. This perspective argues for handling the issue outside of the criminal justice system entirely (through schools and parents, or health services).

There are real scenarios illustrating this imbalance. Consider a 16-year-old in Northwest Michigan who is caught with a vape pen multiple times. By the third time, he’s charged with a misdemeanor, fined, and must do 40+ hours of community service. He struggles to complete the hours because he also works a part-time job to help his family, and he misses a court check-in. Now he’s facing a probation violation – suddenly a vaping habit has snowballed into serious legal trouble. Stories like this fuel the argument that the response overshot the offense. The teen’s vaping was a problem, yes, but saddling him with legal woes and stress (which can increase risk of other risky behaviors or mental health issueschangelabsolutions.org<ref>{{cite web|title=changelabsolutions.org|url=https://www.changelabsolutions.org/sites/default/files/2019-05/PUPinSmoke_FINAL_2019-04-17.pdf#:~:text=who%20work%20outside%20the%20home,14|publisher=changelabsolutions.org|access-date=2025-11-30}}</ref>) is arguably a harsher harm. As one health official put it, “Fining youth can have harmful unintended consequences. …doing away with a counterproductive policy [of fining kids] and looking forward to more effective strategies to protect youth…”content.govdelivery.com<ref>{{cite web|title=content.govdelivery.com|url=https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/OKTSET/bulletins/3183bbb#:~:text=%E2%80%9CWith%20vaping%20flavors%20like%20gummy,%E2%80%9D|publisher=content.govdelivery.com|access-date=2025-11-30}}</ref>.

On the other hand, proponents of maintaining these penalties contend that the “penalty” is purposely kept small to avoid being too punitive. $50 fines and mandatory classes are meant to be proportionate – just enough to signal that the behavior is illegal and serious, but not so heavy as to ruin a kid’s life. They also note that courts often exercise leniency: many youth tobacco charges are dismissed if the teen completes an education program, leaving them with a clean slate. The system, ideally, gives kids a chance to correct course without long-term damage. When done right, the penalty (a brief brush with the law and an educational intervention) could be seen as commensurate with the offense of underage smoking.

Ultimately, the question of penalty vs. crime in this context boils down to a society’s philosophy on youth and substance use. The trend seems to be moving towards less criminalization: treat nicotine use by minors as a health issue first, and a legal issue only as a last resort. The legal, ethical, and societal consensus forming is that we should avoid punishments that might derail a young person’s future over a tobacco infraction. Laws are most effective when they protect youth (from tobacco industry predation and health harms) without unduly punishing them for mistakes made often under peer or marketing influence. As one Oklahoma official succinctly said, penalizing kids hasn’t proven effective, so the shift is toward helping them quit rather than punishing themcontent.govdelivery.com<ref>{{cite web|title=content.govdelivery.com|url=https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/OKTSET/bulletins/3183bbb#:~:text=parents%20to%20be%20notified|publisher=content.govdelivery.com|access-date=2025-11-30}}</ref>. Michigan’s approach, especially in communities up north, is increasingly reflecting this philosophy: enforcement exists, but the emphasis is on education and prevention, striving to ensure the remedy doesn’t become worse than the problem.

Sources:
* Michigan Youth Tobacco Act, MCL 722.641-642 (state law on underage tobacco/vape purchase, possession, use)casetext.com<ref>{{cite web|title=casetext.com|url=https://casetext.com/statute/michigan-compiled-laws/chapter-722-children/youth-tobacco-act/section-722642-prohibited-conduct-by-minor-for-tobacco-products-vapor-products-or-alternative-nicotine-products-violation-and-penalties-participation-in-health-promotion-and-risk-reduction-assessment-program-costs-community-service-exceptions-other-violations#:~:text=minor%20shall%20not%20do%20any,to%20participate%20in%20a%20health|publisher=casetext.com|access-date=2025-11-30}}</ref>casetext.com<ref>{{cite web|title=casetext.com|url=https://casetext.com/statute/michigan-compiled-laws/chapter-722-children/youth-tobacco-act/section-722642-prohibited-conduct-by-minor-for-tobacco-products-vapor-products-or-alternative-nicotine-products-violation-and-penalties-participation-in-health-promotion-and-risk-reduction-assessment-program-costs-community-service-exceptions-other-violations#:~:text=attempting%20to%20possess%20a%20vapor,The%20court|publisher=casetext.com|access-date=2025-11-30}}</ref>.
* District Health Dept. #10 (NW Michigan) – summary of Tobacco 21 law and minor penaltiesdhd10.org<ref>{{cite web|title=dhd10.org|url=https://www.dhd10.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/DHD10_PressRelease_VapingConsequences_3.9.20.pdf#:~:text=With%20the%20new%20Tobacco%2021,education%20on%20health%20risks%2C%20and|publisher=dhd10.org|access-date=2025-11-30}}</ref>.
* Bridge Michigan news – on Michigan’s vape epidemic and limitations of earlier lawsbridgemi.com<ref>{{cite web|title=bridgemi.com|url=https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-health-watch/vaping-may-be-bad-teens-will-michigans-ban-hurt-smokers-trying-quit#:~:text=Earlier%20this%20year%2C%20Michigan%20lawmakers,engineered%20to%20create%20new%20addicts|publisher=bridgemi.com|access-date=2025-11-30}}</ref>bridgemi.com<ref>{{cite web|title=bridgemi.com|url=https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-health-watch/vaping-may-be-bad-teens-will-michigans-ban-hurt-smokers-trying-quit#:~:text=switch%E2%80%9D%20engineered%20to%20create%20new,addicts|publisher=bridgemi.com|access-date=2025-11-30}}</ref>.
* Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids / ChangeLab Solutions – analysis of PUP (purchase-use-possession) laws’ effectiveness and equitychangelabsolutions.org<ref>{{cite web|title=changelabsolutions.org|url=https://www.changelabsolutions.org/sites/default/files/2019-05/PUPinSmoke_FINAL_2019-04-17.pdf#:~:text=Are%20Ineffective%20and%20Inequitable%20Laws,control%20advocates%20with%20effective%20alternatives|publisher=changelabsolutions.org|access-date=2025-11-30}}</ref>changelabsolutions.org<ref>{{cite web|title=changelabsolutions.org|url=https://www.changelabsolutions.org/sites/default/files/2019-05/PUPinSmoke_FINAL_2019-04-17.pdf#:~:text=ChangeLab%20Solutions%20does%20not%20include,or%20behavior%20associated%20with%20adulthood|publisher=changelabsolutions.org|access-date=2025-11-30}}</ref>.
* Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Trust – commentary on shifting from fines to education for youth (quote: “Penalizing children is not effective…”)content.govdelivery.com<ref>{{cite web|title=content.govdelivery.com|url=https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/OKTSET/bulletins/3183bbb#:~:text=parents%20to%20be%20notified|publisher=content.govdelivery.com|access-date=2025-11-30}}</ref>.
* CDC and FDA reports – statistics on youth vaping and smoking trends nationallybridgemi.com<ref>{{cite web|title=bridgemi.com|url=https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-health-watch/vaping-may-be-bad-teens-will-michigans-ban-hurt-smokers-trying-quit#:~:text=switch%E2%80%9D%20engineered%20to%20create%20new,addicts|publisher=bridgemi.com|access-date=2025-11-30}}</ref>cdc.gov<ref>{{cite web|title=cdc.gov|url=https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/mm7244a1.htm#:~:text=In%202023%2C%2010.0,to%202023%2C%20a|publisher=cdc.gov|access-date=2025-11-30}}</ref>.
* Ontario Tobacco Research Unit – review on enforcement and youth access (finding that enforcing sales laws reduces youth smoking)otru.org<ref>{{cite web|title=otru.org|url=https://www.otru.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/enforcement-april-2021-final.pdf#:~:text=%E2%80%A2%20Lack%20of%20enforcement%20is,social%20sources%20of%20conventional%20cigarettes|publisher=otru.org|access-date=2025-11-30}}</ref>.
* Local Michigan ordinances and practices – e.g. City of Mason ordinance (civil infraction for minor tobacco use)codelibrary.amlegal.com<ref>{{cite web|title=codelibrary.amlegal.com|url=https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/mason/latest/mason_mi/0-0-0-23417#:~:text=,place%20of%20business%20or%20amusement|publisher=codelibrary.amlegal.com|access-date=2025-11-30}}</ref>; school resource officer practicesdavisonindex.mihomepaper.com<ref>{{cite web|title=davisonindex.mihomepaper.com|url=https://davisonindex.mihomepaper.com/articles/fcs-partners-with-municipalities-law-enforcement-to-create-anti-vaping-campaign/#:~:text=FCS%20partners%20with%20municipalities%2C%20law,To%20get|publisher=davisonindex.mihomepaper.com|access-date=2025-11-30}}</ref>.
* ChangeLab Solutions – “PUP in Smoke” fact sheet (noting PUP laws are often ineffective and inequitable)changelabsolutions.org<ref>{{cite web|title=changelabsolutions.org|url=https://www.changelabsolutions.org/sites/default/files/2019-05/PUPinSmoke_FINAL_2019-04-17.pdf#:~:text=Are%20Ineffective%20and%20Inequitable%20Laws,control%20advocates%20with%20effective%20alternatives|publisher=changelabsolutions.org|access-date=2025-11-30}}</ref>changelabsolutions.org<ref>{{cite web|title=changelabsolutions.org|url=https://www.changelabsolutions.org/sites/default/files/2019-05/PUPinSmoke_FINAL_2019-04-17.pdf#:~:text=PUP%20laws%20are%20inequitable%20because,12%20These%20findings|publisher=changelabsolutions.org|access-date=2025-11-30}}</ref>.