The Richfield City Council showed strong leadership in protecting the health and well-being of its residents on June 12 by voting unanimously to raise the tobacco sales age to 21.
Council member Maria Regan Gonzalez championed the ordinance, along with council members Mike Howard and Edwina Garcia. Council member Simon Trautmann and Mayor Pat Elliott also voted in favor.
“This is not about stigmatizing smokers or stigmatizing the vaping community,” Gonzalez said. “It is about limiting access for our youth to nicotine and starting smoking.”
Richfield is the 10th city in Minnesota to raise the tobacco sales age to 21. Edina, Saint Louis Park, Bloomington, Plymouth, North Mankato, Falcon Heights, Shoreview, Minneapolis and Saint Peter have also raised the tobacco sales age to 21.
More than 95 percent of current smokers started smoking before they turned 21. If youth don’t start smoking before the age of 21, they likely never will.
“Thank you to the City of Richfield for being a leader in our state and protecting future generations to come from harmful and addictive products including vapes and e-cigarettes,” said University of Minnesota student and Richfield resident Nia Kilstofte.
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