On Thursday, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed 11 bipartisan bills, including a legislative package that would raise the minimum age for tobacco sales from 18 to 21.

"Today, I signed several bipartisan bills to protect public health and keep dangerous tobacco products away from our youth," Governor Whitmer said in a news release.

Not only does the program raise the tobacco buying age, it also prohibits anyone under the age of 21 from entering tobacco shops and prohibits the mailing of tobacco products to anyone under the age of 21.

The legislation includes cigarettes, cigars, vaping products and nicotine replacement products.

"Children and teens shouldn't even be exposed to tobacco products," Wayne County Sheriff Rafael Washington said in a news release Thursday. “We’ve seen study after study showing the effects of nicotine on the developing adolescent brain, and I am proud to support raising the age of buying tobacco from 18 to 21. There is no doubt that this simple change will save life."

Penalties for selling tobacco products to persons under the age of 21 are up to $100 for the first offense, $500 for the second offense, and $2,500 for the third and any subsequent offenses.

In addition, Whitmer signed legislation targeting the Tobacco Product Tax Act, including:

• Change the way tobacco taxes are paid to various public entities

• Expand and clarify licensing requirements for transporters of tobacco products

• Allow a creditor who has acquired a tobacco product by exercising a security interest to sell the product without permission

• Changes in compliance standards around requiring retailers to keep records of tobacco products older than four years

• Reduce taxes on certain products that the FDA has identified as a revision risk, and close loopholes in the bill created by case law, and strengthen the Treasury Department's ability to enforce tobacco taxes.

The Keep MI Kids Tobacco Free Alliance slammed the legislation Thursday, arguing that the bills do not address how the governor plans to keep tobacco products out of the hands of minors.

The coalition claims the program has instead weakened Michigan's tobacco control policies.

"We are still facing a youth tobacco epidemic, and efforts should be made to strengthen our tobacco control policies to protect our youth, not weaken them," said Paul Steiner, executive director of Tobacco Free Michigan. "All tobacco products have risks."

The group has accused the governor of making a deal with JUUL, which they claim is the only group supporting SB 720, while the roughly 80 Michigan groups that make up the coalition oppose it.