Michigan Governor Whitmer says she is willing to extend tobacco taxes to vaping products

In the second part of a one-on-one interview at Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s Lansing residence, she said she is willing to support a ban on assault weapons, along with several other changes.

There used to be a federal ban on assault weapons, but it expired in 2004 because of the 10-year “sunset clause.” Now, each state has to handle the issue on its own. With the legislature controlled by Democrats, lawmakers passed three gun-safety bills, but Republicans refused to debate them. There was no debate at all on the assault weapons ban.

During the interview, Whitmer said she believes the ban would save lives.

Whitmer: “I truly believe it makes no sense for weapons of war to be sold to the general public. I have a problem with that, and I would be very happy to have that conversation.”

Tim Skubick: “But having a conversation, as you and I know, is not the same as telling the governor, ‘We need to do this.’”

Whitmer: “Personally, I think that would be the right thing to do.”

On another life-saving measure, Whitmer also said she would be open to extending the state’s current tobacco tax on cigarettes to vaping products and smoking products.

Whitmer: “I’m not leading that… but if that’s something the legislature wants to put on my desk, I’d talk with them about it. I’m open to it.”

The governor added that she is waiting for lawmakers to send her a bill that would restore benefits for victims of catastrophic car crashes — many of whom lost critical long-term medical benefits when lawmakers revised the state’s new no-fault auto insurance law.

Whitmer promised to fix it.

Skubick: “Do you think you’ll get this done?”

Whitmer: “I will.”