The Association for Nonsmokers - Minnesota's mission is to reduce harm from commercial tobacco and other drugs Association for Nonsmokers-Minnesota Our Core Commitments: To protect young Minnesotans from a lifetime of addiction; To ensure that all Minnesotans can breathe clean, smoke-free air everywhere; and Reduce health inequities and other disparities in relation to commercial tobacco, nicotine and other drugs. The Association for Nonsmokers-Minnesota is a membership organization. Become an ANSR member to support our continued efforts. Donate Donate Our experienced staff are dedicated to protecting Minnesotans from the harms of commercial tobacco, nicotine and other drugs. Our Team Our Team Mission ANSR is dedicated to reducing the human and economic costs of commercial tobacco use in Minnesota. Learn more about our mission here. Mission Live Smoke Free LEARN MORE Prevention Programs LEARN MORE Policy Initiatives LEARN MORE Minnesota History LEARN MORE LATEST NEWS Youth and Adults: Fighting the Tobacco Industry, Together By: Mỹ Linh Nguyễn, Clara Seeley, Lily DeWitt, Ethan Kinsella, Princeton Vang, and Summer Balfanz The tobacco industry will do anything to entice youth. Their influence is deeply embedded in our communities. They use bright colors and appealing flavors, sales and discounted prices, and social media and popular influencers to make their products seem trendy and mainstream. We’ve seen the results of the tobacco industry’s tactics loud and clear. Commercial tobacco use has taken Oct 13, 2025 City of Minneapolis Votes to Strengthen Tobacco Ordinance to Prevent Youth Addiction Local Advocates Applaud Council Members for Continuing to Make Minneapolis a National Leader in Tobacco Prevention Policies MINNEAPOLIS –... Jul 16, 2025 Saint Anthony Village First in Nation to Set Minimum Price on Vapes On April 8th, 2025, Saint Anthony Village City Council voted 4-0 to update their Commercial Tobacco Ordinance . The amendment: Cap the... Apr 14, 2025 1 2 3 4 5 Get Involved TODAY! Protecting the next generation from the harms of commercial tobacco starts with community members like you! Sign Up POLICY ISSUES Flavored Tobacco MN Flavor Policy Map Menthol Tobacco Electronic Cigarettes Tobacco Price Discounting Environmental Impact Tobacco-Free Spaces Tobacco 21 RESOURCES MPRC Tobacco 101 Stop Sales To Minors Free Signage Retailer Compliance Project WATCH Smoke-Free Housing Tools for Schools Toolkit

MEET OUR TEAM Email Jeanne Jeanne Weigum President Jeanne has served as the President of ANSR since 1980, though her path to leading the organization for nearly four decades has somewhat humble roots. The Association for Nonsmokers’ Rights, as it was called at the time, was in the midst of fighting for the nation’s first statewide clean indoor air law in 1975. Jeanne saw an ad in a local paper about the association’s work and decided to become a member, which only cost $1. After becoming a member, Jeanne soon joined the ANSR board and eventually moved her way up to the full-time President, a role for which she has never taken a salary. From ground-breaking smoke-free housing work to innovative approaches to preventing youth tobacco use, she has provided strategic direction for numerous public policy wins in Minnesota. She remains deeply committed to enhancing public health and her community. When not fighting the good fight at ANSR, you’ll find Jeanne baking in the winter, gardening in the spring and summer, and up to her ankles in rescue dogs year round. Email Emily Emily Anderson Director of Policy Emily is a Program Director who focuses on point-of-sale policy work and clean outdoor air in parks and on college campuses. Since her first year at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Emily knew she wanted to work at a nonprofit and contribute to a greater good. After graduate school and stops at a few other nonprofits, she found her niche in public health policy and tobacco prevention at ANSR. Emily has supported dozens of Minnesota communities in passing tobacco-free parks policies and has worked closely with colleges and universities, including the University of Minnesota, in adopting tobacco-free campus policies. She advocated for a first-of-its-kind cigar pricing ordinance in Brooklyn Center. She has presented at several public health conferences, including the National Summit on Smokeless and Spit Tobacco and the National Conference on Tobacco or Health. Outside of work Emily enjoys spending time with her family in Minneapolis and heading into the great outdoors to bike, camp and skijor. While Minnesota is now home, she takes pride in teaching her two young daughters to say “Go, Pack, Go!” Email Katie Katie Engman Program Director, Policy & Compliance Katie has led school and community commercial tobacco-prevention efforts since 2002, centering her work on youth education, advocacy, and engagement. She has been instrumental in advancing local policies, including ending the sale of flavored products, smoke-free workplaces, youth access laws, tobacco-free parks, and numerous updates to city ordinances. Most recently, she began coordinating THC and cannabis compliance checks, building on her decades of experience conducting tobacco compliance checks. Outside the office one might find Katie in the middle of a lake, having arrived there via swimming, boating, or paddling. She also enjoys planning family adventures, such as trips to the beach and cheering on her kids at their activities. Email Jason Jason Lind Director of Finance and IT Jason is ANSR’s Director of Finance and IT. He joined ANSR in 2020 and has a long history of nonprofit work. Jason helps manage the overall ANSR budget and ensures we are good stewards of the funds we receive. He is passionate about technology and enjoys teaching and discussing tech of almost any kind. Personally, he enjoys going for long walk-and-talks with his wife, throwing not-so-perfect spirals to his twin boys, and playing pickleball. Email Molly Molly Schmidtke Policy and Technical Assistance Manager Molly is a Policy and Technical Assistance Manager. In this role, Molly is responsible for conducting outreach and education events, supporting youth policy and advocacy efforts, and supporting all other ANSR tobacco prevention efforts. Some of her accomplishments include: multiple flavored commercial tobacco restrictions in MN communities, working with youth to create, disseminate and evaluate vaping prevalence surveys with youth partners, as well as creating and disseminating a toolkit focused on the environmental impacts of commercial tobacco products. She has a BS from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in Public Health – Community Health Education and a Master’s in Public Health degree from the University of Minnesota. She is also a Certified Health Education Specialist. She is passionate about many public health topics, such as health equity, policy and advocacy. Outside of work, Molly loves to be out on the Mississippi River and watching the Minnesota Wild. Email Chris Christopher Smith Community Policy Advocate Chris started at ANSR as a contracted Campaign Organizer in 2020 and officially joined the team as a Community Policy Advocate in 2022. Chris enjoys connecting communities with lawmakers and city leadership. He believes that community engagement is key to developing sound equitable policies. Chris holds a bachelor’s degree in business and a master’s in advocacy and political leadership -both from Metropolitan State University. He comes to ANSR with a breadth of community organizing experience, from working closely with faith communities as a congregational organizer, to field organizing during numerous election cycles for political and issue campaigns. At ANSR Chris is focused on local tobacco prevention policy at point of sale and smoke-free housing. While not working in the office, Chris spends much of his time biking, developing bikepacking routes for his next adventure, and cheering on the St. Paul Saints with friends and family. Chris is a downtown St. Paul resident and considers himself to be an “armchair Urbanist” since he often criticizes street design, even though he does not hold a degree in engineering or urban planning. Email Madeline Madeline Bremel Events Manager Madeline is the Events Manager for the Minnesota Prevention Resource Center, and is responsible for planning and coordinating MPRC events, including the annual MN Prevention Program Sharing Conference, and supporting MPRC’s technical assistance and communications needs. Madeline has worked in Public Health in Minnesota, Oregon, and New Mexico, and has found a niche doing planning, organization, and communication-related work at the systems level. Madeline has an MPH from Oregon State University in Health Promotion and Health Behavior. Outside of work you might find Madeline cross-country skiing, crafting, or studying her dog, Pearl’s, personality. Email Alex Alexandra Eberhart Project Lead Alex is a Project Lead primarily working on the Live Smoke Free program housed at ANSR. She assists multi-unit housing properties in adopting smoke-free policies and contributes to community outreach, resident engagement, and enforcement strategies for smoke-free housing. Alex also supports youth engagement and advocacy efforts to prevent commercial tobacco use, empowering young leaders to make a difference. Alex earned a Master’s in Public Health from St. Ambrose University and a BS in Public Health - Health Administration from Winona State University. With her long-standing passion for community well-being, she is eager to further ANSR’s mission and engage with communities in promoting smoke-free living. Outside of work, you can find her playing pickleball, reading a book, or enjoying the outdoors. Email Sheila Sheila Watercott Regional ATOD Prevention Coordinator - Region 7 Sheila Watercott serves as a Minnesota Regional Alcohol, Tobacco, & Other Drug Prevention Coordinator (RPC) in the 7 county Metro Region. She has over 15 years experience coordinating community projects focused on health and safety. Prior to taking this role, she was a Community Health Educator and Project Coordinator in Little Falls and Morrison County. She has worked with community partners to achieve outcomes in reducing youth substance use, in growing awareness of effective substance use prevention strategies, and in growing knowledge of the harms of youth substance use, including the use of marijuana, alcohol, commercial tobacco products, and prescription drugs. Email Jaclyn Jaclyn Frank Live Smoke Free Community Outreach Coordinator Jaclyn is a Community Outreach Coordinator for the Live Smoke Free program at ANSR. Jaclyn collaborates with property managers, residents, local public health, and state partners to promote, implement, and evaluate smoke-free multi-unit housing policies. She has a background in mixed-methods research, advocacy, and systems improvement across various public health domains including housing, chronic diseases, and the public health workforce, all with a strong focus on health equity. Jaclyn has a BS in Public Health from Purdue University and an MPH from the University of Minnesota in Public Health Administration and Policy. Outside of work, you might find her running along the Mississippi River, singing karaoke, or finishing a puzzle. Email Moe Moe Sadique Event Coordinator Moe serves as the Event Coordinator for the Minnesota Prevention Resource Center. Their role includes planning MPRC training and events, such as the annual MN Prevention Program Sharing conference, and providing administrative support to other ANSR programs. Moe has a background in civic engagement, organizing and politics, as well as experience leading teams in managing medical and pharmacy benefits. They are passionate about using their project coordination and program development skills to advance the work of MPRC. Moe also loves nature, music, crafts, reading, and spending time with their son and their dog. Email Gabrielle Gabrielle Horsford Community Outreach and Advocacy Coordinator Gabrielle is a Community Outreach and Advocacy Coordinator, working on Point of Sale, Flavors, and Tobacco Marketing. Gabrielle supports advocacy efforts, outreach and education events, and provides administrative support to other ANSR programs. Gabrielle has a public health background, with a passion for eliminating racial health disparities by combining policy advocacy with theory-driven behavior change practices. She has a BA in psychology from the College of Saint Benedict, and an MPH in Community Health Promotion from the University of Minnesota –School of Public Health. Outside of work, Gabrielle enjoys educating young people at the community college level, eating her husband’s cooking, and walking their two dogs. Email Gabriel Gabriel Spinks Community Outreach and Advocacy Coordinator Gabriel is a community advocate from Minneapolis who works to help people live healthier and fairer lives. He works on public policy, youth programs, and community projects. He partners with local leaders, nonprofits, and community groups to make positive changes. He has helped lead advocacy efforts, build programs that help young people use their voices and support organizations through fundraising and outreach. Gabriel cares deeply about fairness, prevention, and making sure families and communities have what they need to do well. He is currently working on a master's degree in Advocacy and Political Leadership. In his free time, Gabe spends time with friends and family.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF COMMERCIAL TOBACCO Commercial tobacco products like cigarettes and e-cigarettes have a substantial impact on our environment. These products contribute to the litter problem, with cigarettes being the most littered product in the US and e-cigarettes contributing to the single-use plastic problem and electronic waste. Throughout their life cycle, commercial tobacco products contribute to deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, litter, single-use plastic waste and electronic waste, threatening our planet and our people. Environmental Impact of Commercial Tobacco Toolkit Environmental Impact of Commercial Tobacco Factsheet Paragraph Download the PDF Hazardous Waste Disposal Factsheet Paragraph Download the Fact Sheet Youth E-Cigarette Environmental Graphic Paragraph Download the Graphic Additional Environmental Resources From the Public Health Law Center, FDA and more. Download Resources Environmental Impacts Lesson Plan This is Chapter 9 of ANSR's Tobacco 101 curriculum. Download Lesson Plan Additional Materials Available Upon Request Environmental Impacts and Hazardous Waste Presentation Examples of Letters of Support Letters to the Editors on the Environmental Impacts Request Materials Tobacco - Threat to our Environment (WHO SEARO)

Commercial tobacco use remains a leading cause of preventable illness and death in Minnesota and across the United States. Among commercial tobacco products, menthol and other flavored commercial tobacco items pose a unique risk. These flavors attract young people, making it easier to start using tobacco and harder to quit. To address this, the Association for Nonsmokers - Minnesota (ANSR) has launched a new initiative funded by the Minnesota Department of Health’s Reducing the Burden of Menthol and Flavored Commercial Tobacco Products through Policy Change  grant. his grant aims to reduce tobacco-related harm through local policy change. Why Focus on Menthol and Flavored Tobacco Products? Menthol and other flavors mask the harshness of commercial tobacco, making it more appealing, especially to youth and new users. Research shows that flavored tobacco products increase the likelihood of starting tobacco use and decrease the chances of quitting. This contributes to ongoing health disparities, particularly in communities where tobacco use is more common. By targeting these products, the grant seeks to: Prevent young people from starting commercial tobacco use Support adults who want to quit Promote health equity by reducing tobacco-related disparities Goals of the Grant The grant has two main goals that guide its work in Minnesota: 1. Advance Local and Tribal Policies The grant supports communities in creating and enforcing policies that prohibit the sale of flavored commercial tobacco products, including menthol. These policies help reduce access to these products, especially among youth. Local and Tribal governments play a crucial role in protecting public health by passing laws that limit tobacco sales. 2. Increase Community Coverage of Flavored Tobacco Policies The grant aims to expand the number of Minnesotans living in areas covered by flavored tobacco restrictions. This means more communities will have policies that reduce the availability of these products, leading to better health outcomes statewide. The Role of ANSR Emily Anderson, managing the grant at ANSR, brings experience in tobacco prevention and community engagement. ANSR works closely with local leaders, health organizations, and Tribal governments to build support for policy change. Their efforts include: Providing technical assistance to draft and implement policies Educating the public about the risks of flavored tobacco and about best practices for local policy change;  Supporting enforcement of new regulations This collaborative approach helps create lasting change that benefits all Minnesotans. Emily’s contact information: Email - Emily@ansrmn.org

By: Mỹ Linh Nguyễn, Clara Seeley, Lily DeWitt, Ethan Kinsella, Princeton Vang, and Summer Balfanz The tobacco industry will do anything to entice youth. Their influence is deeply embedded in our communities. They use bright colors and appealing flavors, sales and discounted prices, and social media and popular influencers to make their products seem trendy and mainstream. We’ve seen the results of the tobacco industry’s tactics loud and clear. Commercial tobacco use has taken over our school bathrooms, our social media feeds, and sadly, many of our friends’ lives. So how do we push back? We think we know the answer: adults working alongside young people, encouraging youth to use their power and their voices to stand up and speak out. That’s exactly what we’ve been doing for more than two years at the Ramsey Student Action Team (SAT) with the support of the Association for Nonsmokers-MN (ANSR-MN). SAT is a group of more than 20 high school students from 11 communities across Ramsey County. We are a dedicated group of youth advocates who have learned how to stop the tobacco industry and promote prevention and treatment resources. Our group was honored with the 2025 Group Youth Advocates of the Year Award from Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids for our extensive state and local advocacy efforts. As high school students, we saw the impact commercial tobacco use and nicotine addiction had on our peers, family members, and community, and wanted to do something about it. Our work taught us that our voices matter and are powerful. We are advocating to our city councils, at our social gatherings, in schools and at the state level. Working alongside ANSR, our group was educated about public health and empowered. We were never prouder than when we influenced lawmakers with our written testimony and voices. And working with ANSR, we have reached people our age in schools who are uniquely vulnerable to being hooked on commercial tobacco products. We’ve brought attention to Minnesota’s achievements in fighting big tobacco at a national level. Our relationship with ANSR has been mutually beneficial, something that kickstarted our team members’ personal growth and encouraged the growth and wellbeing of the communities we live in. With ANSR’s support, we have worked to strengthen policies in the cities of Vadnais Heights, Arden Hills, New Brighton, and St. Anthony Village, including ending the sale of flavored vapes and other flavored commercial tobacco products, setting a limit of retailers allowed to sell tobacco products, and increasing fines for retailers who break the law. We are especially proud of our work in Vadnais Heights. In November 2024, their city council voted unanimously to end flavored commercial tobacco sales after members of our group testified, organized letters of support and submitted letters to the editor in the local newspaper. We are motivated and encouraged by our ability to make change. We hope passionately that other young people will continue to be heard and empowered in the same ways we have. Our work is more than the sum of its parts, more than self-knowledge, accomplishments, or the personal growth we have experienced. With the right kind of adult support from ANSR, we have learned how to effectively enact flavor policies that will protect youth, while making sure that our voice is involved. We have worked hard and had a lot of success, but this work comes with challenges, too. Oftentimes, people find themselves thinking commercial tobacco is not an issue that applies to them. If they don’t smoke or vape, that’s all that matters. However, advocating for others is just as important as advocating for yourself. By showing people that someone they know is likely to be impacted, whether it’s their family member, friend, teacher or acquaintance, we are able to have meaningful conversations and make lasting change. We focus on the facts and help people understand the science behind what we’re advocating for. These things have made all the difference. We have certainly faced challenges in our work, including when decision makers are dismissive of youth voices. One experience stands out: we were testifying in support of a policy addressing flavored commercial tobacco products. One council member would not look us in the eye or even try to pay attention to what we were saying. Although this was discouraging, as advocates, we need to have faith in the power of our work and trust that the effort we put in will outweigh any decision maker’s disregard for our voice. As we continue to get the right support from adults to overcome these challenges, we are hopeful for the future. We know that hardworking people who truly care about an issue plaguing our world will always make things happen. Whether they are high school students or adults, everyone is impacted by commercial tobacco. We may be a small group, but we want to do as much as we can to make health a priority and strive for our generation to be a tobacco-free generation. View the published article here: https://sahanjournal.com/sponsored/youth-and-adults-fighting-the-tobacco-industry-together/

Local Advocates Applaud Council Members for Continuing to Make Minneapolis a National Leader in Tobacco Prevention Policies MINNEAPOLIS – Today, the Minneapolis City Council voted to strengthen its tobacco ordinance to prevent youth addiction. The ordinance  sets a minimum price for all e-cigarettes at $25 and creates new restrictions on new tobacco licenses, including restricting new tobacco retailer locations within 300 feet of all K-12 schools, and updating zoning rules to exclude new tobacco product shops from areas that are mainly residential. The Association for Nonsmokers-Minnesota and local advocates applaud the Council for continuing to make Minneapolis a national leader in tobacco prevention policies.  The ordinance, which was introduced by City Council Members Cashman, Chowdhury and Vetaw, passed unanimously. Raising the price of e-cigarettes and limiting where commercial tobacco is sold will keep tobacco products out of the reach of young Minneapolis residents and make it easier for adults to quit. Today’s popular e-cigarettes are flavored and contain high levels of nicotine, which harms the adolescent brain development and primes the next generation for addiction.  “It came up last year when we passed a minimum price for cigarettes, many parents in my ward were concerned that we weren’t really addressing the issue of today, which is that youth are getting addicted to vapes, and if we want to prevent more tobacco abuse and addiction in our city, that we need to address vapes,” said Council Member Katie Cashman, who co-authored the ordinance. “We don’t have distance requirements from tobacco stores, so we decided to add a distance from schools to be in line with cannabis and liquor stores.” “We know that the best way to stop tobacco use and nicotine addiction among young people is to stop the start,” said Council Member Aurin Chowdhury, a co-author on the ordinance. “We know that the health effects, especially for young people, are tremendous – not only on our respiratory systems, but there is so much public health research that shows that vaping can lead to and exacerbate mental health issues, from anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation. We’re taking a step here on Minneapolis City Council to make it less accessible for young people, and we know that one of the best tools we have is pricing.” “I did this work for 20 years before being on the Council, so it’s always a pleasure to see it continue,”  said Council Member LaTrisha Vetaw, a co-author of the policy. “The work was always around cigarettes and the tobacco industry, as they do, swooped in and made e-cigarettes and vape devices huge in this community for young people. This ordinance is part of the work that helps to keep young people from smoking.”  The policy builds on Minneapolis’s groundbreaking leadership on tobacco prevention. In 2024, Minneapolis passed a price minimum of $15 per pack of cigarettes, prohibited price discounting and redemption of coupons for all commercial tobacco products, increased retailer penalties, and closed the tobacco sampling loophole. In 2015, Minneapolis became the first city in Minnesota to restrict fruit- and candy-flavored commercial tobacco products to adult-only stores and set a minimum price for cheap, flavored cigars. Minneapolis amended that policy to limit the sale of menthol tobacco products to adult-only tobacco shops. “The federal government has moved incredibly slow to enact or enforce any regulations on the vape market. The least we can do at the city level is set regulations on the price, knowing that price is the most effective tool for reducing smoking in adults and preventing youth from starting,” said Minneapolis resident Jaclyn Frank, a Community Outreach Coordinator for the Association for Nonsmokers-Minnesota . Minneapolis is the second Minnesota city to set a price minimum for e-cigarettes, following Saint Anthony Village’s adoption of a similar policy earlier this year. The Association for Nonsmokers-Minnesota worked with local leaders and continues to support local and statewide action to prevent commercial tobacco addiction.  Research finds that while only 2 percent of youth in Minnesota use combustible tobacco products, 8.5 to 10.8 percent of youth use e-cigarettes or vapes. Young people are particularly vulnerable to price discounts and promotions, and ordinances that prevent price discounts for vape products are an important tool for protecting youth from the harms of commercial tobacco.  Several community members and addiction prevention leaders spoke at the June 24 committee hearing in support of the ordinance. Here are highlights from their testimony:   Ora Hokes, a grandparent, tobacco prevention educator and faith leader at the Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, said: “Minneapolis has shown incredible leadership over the past decade, passing groundbreaking ordinances around flavored commercial tobacco products and price, including the $15 per pack price you set last year. Unfortunately, the tobacco industry never rests, so we can’t either. Thank you for recognizing that this problem is not solved all at once, but rather through consistent and persistent efforts.” Janet Sanchez, a young adult who works on commercial tobacco and other substance prevention at Indigenous Peoples Task Force, said: “Healthy people raise healthy people. A lot of our people grow up in addiction. Raising the price will help our youth stop and having less access to these products will help our communities in the long run.  Larry Fox, a Minneapolis parent whose young son became addicted to e-cigarettes in high school and struggled with addiction, anxiety and depression, said: “Tobacco companies have targeted minority communities for many years. These companies and the local businesses that sell their products put profits ahead of people, and the result is a deepening mental health crisis, especially among teens. If you care about social equity, I urge you to do everything you can to make vapes less accessible and support this ordinance.”    Damone Presley, who leads Commercial Tobacco Nicotine and Youth Cessation Programs for the Twin Cities Recovery Project, said:  “We’ve allowed the tobacco industry to undervalue our lives for too long. We need to put people over profits. Setting the minimum price of vapes at $25 will help people struggling with addiction to nicotine and help prevent the next generation from being addicted.” Hassan Mohamed, the Tobacco Prevention Coordinator at African Immigrant Community Services in Minneapolis, said: “We have seen the impact that tobacco and especially vaping has had on our young people. This policy change will be beneficial for everyone in all communities. We strongly support the City Council’s ongoing efforts to address tobacco in our city. The tobacco industry targets communities like mine and we must work together to make real, lasting change.”  Gemeda Bulton, Outreach Coordinator for the SubSaharan African Youth and Family Services, said: “Youth are very price sensitive so that is a very good policy. Youth from the communities I serve, like other Minnesota youth, seldom use combustible tobacco now. They use vapes, so it is important that we also make sure that the tobacco industry is not tempting our youth with cheap prices. A $25 minimum price will prevent many young people from starting to vape and will prevent many from getting addicted.”    For more information on tobacco price discounting and e-cigarettes, please view these fact sheets: Don’t Discount My Life  and E-cigs: the Vape Saga Continues .