Councilmembers vote to protect youth and join over 30 other Minnesota communities that have limited the sale of flavored tobacco. Plymouth, Minn. (April 29, 2026) – The Plymouth City Council voted to pass sweeping changes to the Plymouth City Code that includes ending the sale of flavored tobacco within city limits. The city council put the health and wellbeing of youth first, recognizing that flavors hook kids and strong local policies are necessary to remove access to highly addictive substances like tobacco and nicotine. Plymouth joins over 30 other Minnesota communities that have restricted the sale of flavored tobacco, and 30.4% of Minnesotans already live in communities that have taken action to pass policies that limit the sale of flavored tobacco. The Association for Nonsmokers-Minnesota and local advocates applaud the Plymouth City Council for their support and protection of Plymouth youth. “As a business owner myself, I know what it’s like to have regulations change, and I understand this has an impact. As a policymaker, I have to look at the impact as an entire population, as an entire city,” said Plymouth councilmember Joel Spoonheim during the city council meeting on April 28. “Nicotine is addictive – it increases mental health issues like anxiety and depression, especially when introduced to young people before the age of 25. Right now, this is one issue where we can be part of the solution in the region, and as the seventh largest Minnesota city, I do feel it’s our responsibility to make the best decisions we can.” “When I view this ordinance, I have to balance out the side of me that wants to be very pro-business with that of public health,” said Plymouth councilmember Kimberly Nelson during the city council meeting on April 28. “We’re talking about nicotine and tobacco being the number one preventable public health problem in America — which is also leading to massive health care costs. As much as I take a lot of pride in Plymouth being a city that is business-friendly, we also have to make sure that we’re staying one of the healthiest cities.” Tobacco use remains the number one killer in Minnesota, claiming nearly 6,000 lives and costing Minnesotans over $4.7 billion in excess healthcare costs every year. The tobacco industry has a long history of targeting kids with candy-like flavors and misleading marketing to build a customer base of lifelong users. Nearly 14% of Minnesota high school students reported using e-cigarettes during the past 30 days, and 76% of Minnesota students who have ever tried a commercial tobacco product started with a flavored one. National data show that about 95% of adult smokers begin smoking before they turn 21.  The Plymouth City Council first discussed potential amendments to the tobacco licensing ordinance at study sessions on Oct. 28, 2025, and Jan. 27, 2026. Following these discussions, staff prepared a draft ordinance incorporating council direction. A public hearing was held on April 13, 2026, following a required notice to all license holders in accordance with Minnesota State Statute 461.19. After the hearing, the council directed staff to return with the ordinance as presented for consideration of adoption at the April 28 meeting. “Policies like the ones before you — ending the sale of flavored tobacco products, limiting retailer density and eliminating price promotions — prioritize the well-being of people over the profits of the tobacco industry,” said Dr. Lisa Mattson, Plymouth resident and president of Minnesota Medical Association, during the April 13 public hearing. “These policies will prevent youth initiation, support quitting and protect the health of all Plymouth residents.” “For such dangerous items, tobacco products are far too attractive and far too attainable because of the profit-centered methods of the tobacco industry,” said Shivam Srivastava, Plymouth resident and sophomore at Breck School, during the April 13 public hearing. “Youth suffer the greatest consequences of these policies, and as a high schooler, I have seen and heard these stories firsthand. Restricting tobacco sellers and prohibiting the sale of flavored tobacco products is a crucial step in protecting Minnesotan youth, and a step that many cities across Minnesota have already taken.” The sweeping package of Plymouth City Code changes includes revising tobacco product definitions, licensing, prohibited acts, penalties, severability and license fees including: Prohibiting the sale of flavored products Setting the maximum number of new tobacco licenses at zero Establishing a 500-foot buffer from schools and youth-oriented park amenities for new licenses Eliminating couponing and price promotions Increasing the annual license fee Increasing administrative penalties for violations Updating ordinance language (purpose, definitions and severability) Read the full City of Plymouth ordinance changes here.

The Association for Nonsmokers – Minnesota and NorthPoint Health and Wellness Center conducted pre and post store assessments in Minneapolis to assess compliance with changes to the city’s tobacco ordinance in 2024 and 2025. A sample of commercial tobacco retailers were evaluated to measure store compliance with: May 2024 ordinance change (1) setting a minimum price per pack of cigarettes and other commercial tobacco products of $15.00 and (2) disallowing price discounts and coupons for commercial tobacco products. July 2025 ordinance change setting a minimum price for e-cigarettes/vapes of $25.00. Of 314 tobacco license holders in Minneapolis, a sample of approximately 30 stores were assessed before and after the implementation of the two tobacco ordinance changes. A pre-assessment was done in October 2023, and post-assessments were completed in December 2024 and December 2025. Stores were selected to be a representative sample of different types of stores (tobacco-only stores, convenience stores, and chain stores), as well as different neighborhoods and regions of the city. Each assessment used a slightly different sample of stores, resulting in 25 stores that were checked at all three points in time and an additional 4 stores that were checked at both post-assessments. Of the 29 stores checked at both post-assessments, the number of stores that were in compliance (did NOT sell a pack of cigarettes for under $15) went from 21 (72%) in December 2024 to 27 (93%) in December 2025. The number of stores that were in compliance (did NOT sell a can of chew for under $15) went from 17 (59%) in December 2024 to 25 (86%) in December 2025. This demonstrates that the tobacco ordinance change was effective at maintaining high prices for commercial tobacco products, and compliance improved over time. The December 2025 store assessment was modified to check prices for e-cigarettes/vapes, given the Minneapolis minimum price ordinance for vapes passed six months prior (July 2025). Of the 29 stores checked, 21 (72%) were in compliance (did not sell a vape for under $25). This demonstrates additional work is needed to improve compliance; however, based on the results for other commercial tobacco products, compliance may improve over time. Of the 25 stores checked at all points in time, the number of stores that were in compliance with not having in-store promotions for any tobacco products went from 20 (80%) before the ordinance change to 19 (76%) in December 2024 and 25 (100%) in December 2025. Most stores (80%) did not have promotions prior to the ordinance; however, that improved to no stores having tobacco promotions by approximately 16 months after the ordinance disallowing price discounts and coupons was implemented. Based on this evaluation, the Minneapolis tobacco ordinance changes were effective at maintaining high cigarette and chew prices and ending in-store promotions. Compliance with the city’s tobacco ordinance improved over time, though more work is needed to increase compliance with the new vape minimum price.

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 .

On April 8th, 2025, Saint Anthony Village City Council voted 4-0 to update their Commercial Tobacco Ordinance . The amendment: Cap the number of commercial tobacco licenses at zero , which will be reached through attrition. Saint Anthony Village currently has five commercial tobacco license holders; End Price Discounting for Commercial Tobacco Products End the redemption of coupons and price discounts for all commercial tobacco products; Set a minimum price and package size for commercial tobacco products. A few examples include: $15 per pack of cigarettes $20 per electronic delivery device $15 per 0.32 ounce package of snus $15 per package of cigars (minimum five cigars) Going beyond Minnesota state law minimums for fines and license suspensions for repeated violations. Saint Anthony Village is the first city in the nation to set a minimum price on vapes at $20 and the third city in Minnesota to cap their commercial tobacco licenses at zero. One-third of adult smokers use tobacco coupons or discounts. Higher commercial tobacco prices lead to reduced adult smoking rates, less youth initiation, and more quit attempts and calls to quit lines. These changes will protect Saint Anthony Village youth and residents from tobacco industry targeting, reduce the appeal of commercial tobacco products, and support those who are trying to quit using commercial tobacco. ANSR applauds the Council for voting in support of this ordinance and putting their residents’ health first. Thank you to everyone who emailed, called, testified, sent a letter of support, attended a council meeting, and/or spread the word about this ordinance. Your voice matters in creating important public health policy change!

ANSR staff presented to faculty and staff at the University of Minnesota's Tobacco Research Programs in December 2024. The presentation, titled "Research in action: using data to advocate for commercial tobacco policies", covered the broad range of ANSR's programs and how we rely on research to ensure the policies we pursue are both effective and cutting edge. You can watch the presentation here:  https://youtu.be/dobFQA6EJQo .

This updated map highlights Minnesota communities actively working to restrict or prohibit the sale of flavored tobacco products, including menthol. It distinguishes between areas with comprehensive policies banning all flavored tobacco and those with partial restrictions targeting e-cigarettes or specific flavored tobacco products. These efforts aim to reduce youth access to addictive substances and promote public health.

The Vadnais Heights City Council voted unanimously to adopt a revised Commercial Tobacco Ordinance, marking a significant step forward in promoting public health within the community. The new ordinance includes: A ban on the sale of all flavored commercial tobacco products; A cap on retail tobacco licenses at six; Strengthened penalties, with the removal of PUP penalties for violators. This policy is marking a significant step forward in promoting public health within the community, helping reduce youth access to flavored tobacco products and limiting the spread of tobacco-related harm. Thank you to everyone who emailed, called, testified, sent a letter of support, attended a council meeting, and/or spread the word about this ordinance. Vadnais Heights is the 12th city in the state to completely end the sale of flavors. Vadnais Heights has taken bold action to create a thriving community for all.

Minneapolis, Minn.  – The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners showed strong leadership in protecting the health and safety of its residents on Feb. 10. The board voted 6-1 to prohibit electronic cigarette use in most public indoor spaces. The ordinance update means the use of electronic cigarettes is not allowed anywhere conventional cigarette use is also not allowed, such as work places, restaurants and bars. “Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death and disease in Minnesota, and this change is a necessary step in protecting the right of Minnesotans to breathe clean air,” said Commissioner Marion Greene, the champion of the ordinance. “We are also committed to health for our youngest populations. Nicotine is addictive, affects youth brain development. E-cigarette flavors are heavily targeted to youth and normalize smoking behavior.” This ordinance change helps protect the general public from exposure to electronic cigarette emissions, which are known to contain ingredients that are harmful to human health.  Further, this ordinance upholds a smoke-free norm and protects youth from exposure to these products, which is important given that electronic cigarettes are becoming popular with high school students. The recent Minnesota Youth Tobacco Survey, released in November, shows 28 percent of high school students have tried e-cigarettes, and 13 percent have used or tried them in the past 30 days. Nearly a quarter of those who have tried e-cigarettes have never tried conventional tobacco products. “This is a huge win for public health and the people of Minnesota,” said Betsy Brock, Research Director for the Association for Nonsmokers-Minnesota (ANSR). “Hennepin County is our state’s most populated county and an economic engine for the region. This policy will protect many residents and workers. Our hope is other counties and cities, and eventually the state, will follow Hennepin’s lead.”

July 1, 2022 Commissioner Robert M. Califf M.D. c/o Division of Dockets Management HFA-305 Food and Drug Administration 5630 Fishers Lane, Room 1061 Rockville, MD 20825 Re: Proposed tobacco product standard eliminating menthol as a characterizing flavor in cigarettes Docket No. FDA-2021-N-1349 Dear Commissioner Califf, On April 28, 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration proposed an historic rule to prohibit menthol as a characterizing flavor in cigarettes. The Association for Nonsmokers-Minnesota (ANSR) from Saint Paul, Minnesota is pleased to submit these comments to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in strong support of the proposed product standard prohibiting menthol as a characterizing flavor in cigarettes, which will reduce youth smoking, save lives, and advance health equity. The proposed rule will have an enormous public health impact both in the short and long term. Founded in 1975, ANSR is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing the human and economic costs of commercial tobacco use. ANSR is Minnesota’s oldest nonprofit dedicated solely to tobacco control and has a proven track record of passing bold tobacco control policies. Our core commitments are to reduce the number of young smokers, combat health inequities, and advocate for the health of all Minnesotans and have a strong history of collaboration with diverse partners and community groups to advance policy change at the city, county, and state level. ANSR has led efforts in several cities across the state to restrict or end the sale of menthol and all flavored tobacco products. While the decision is long overdue, this action is a powerful and crucial step toward mitigating some of the disparities in health outcomes for minority communities in our state, especially among Black Minnesotans. Prohibiting menthol cigarettes would decrease tobacco-related health disparities and advance health equity, especially among Black Americans. Menthol cigarettes have caused substantial harm to public health, and particularly to Black Americans. For more than 60 years, the tobacco industry has targeted Black Americans with marketing and price promotions for menthol cigarettes,¹ and as a result, 85% of Black smokers smoke menthol cigarettes compared to 29% of White smokers.² Consequently, Black Americans are less likely to successfully quit smoking ³ and suffer disproportionately from tobacco-related disease and death. ⁴ Despite accounting for 12% of the population, Black Americans represented 41% of premature deaths caused by menthol cigarettes between 1980 and 2018.⁵ In addition to youth and Black smokers, preference for menthol is also disproportionately high among Hispanic and Asian smokers, lesbian, gay, and bisexual smokers, smokers with mental health problems, socioeconomically disadvantaged populations, and pregnant women.⁶ Importantly, the proposed product standard is expected to substantially decrease tobacco-related health disparities and to advance health equity across population groups. Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States.⁷ Prohibiting menthol cigarettes, which are more difficult to quit than non-menthol cigarettes, will reduce this burden by increasing smoking cessation.⁸ A research study led by the African American Leadership Forum in 2016 found that U.S.-born African Americans confirm menthol tobacco is a serious threat to their health with 84% of surveyed smokers smoke a brand that is menthol and 72% of surveyed smokers agreed menthol makes it harder to quit. The 2016 research also showed that a majority of African American community members support new laws to reduce tobacco’s harm with 69% of surveyed smokers supporting more laws to reduce the harms of smoking and 60% of surveyed smokers said they would quit if menthol was no longer sold in stores. This data clearly illustrates that removing menthol and flavored tobacco from the marketplace will address health disparities caused by Big Tobacco’s lethal tactics. Racism is a public health crisis. Clearing the market of menthol and all flavored products will directly improve the health of Black communities and other groups targeted by Big Tobacco. Menthol makes smoking easier and more attractive for youth. Menthol makes experimentation easier because it can mask irritation from smoking. Menthol flavoring makes it easier for kids to start smoking and harder for adults to quit.⁹,¹⁰ Menthol tobacco products appeal to youth. More than a third of Minnesota adolescent smokers (34 percent) report smoking menthol cigarettes, compared to 28 percent of Minnesota adult smokers.¹¹, ¹² There is more that can be done to prevent youth from becoming addicted to commercial tobacco products and the predatory practices of the tobacco industry. There is local support and momentum for menthol restrictions. In Minnesota, 17 cities have passed strong ordinances to restrict or end the sales of menthol tobacco products. ANSR has created and led the community-driven campaign, Beautiful Lie Ugly Truth ( www.beautifullieuglytruth.org ), to engage with communities that have been disproportionately impacted by tobacco use and encourage decision makers to pass comprehensive policies to reduce access to menthol tobacco products, Since 2017, ANSR has worked with some of the biggest cities in the metro area such as Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Bloomington, Edina and Roseville to pass some of the first comprehensive restrictions on the sale of all menthol-flavored tobacco products in the country. These cities have successfully adopted and implemented restrictions to sell menthol tobacco products and substantially reduced access and availability of these products. The number of outlets selling menthol tobacco products decreased by 76% in Minneapolis and 62% in St. Paul.¹³ There are several more municipalities that continue to show support for comprehensive regulation of menthol tobacco products in their communities. Prohibiting menthol as a characterizing flavor in cigarettes will help to reduce the tremendous toll of tobacco in Minnesota:¹⁴ High school students who smoke: 3.2% (9,300) Additional kids (under 18) who become new regular, daily smokers each year: 1500 Adults in Minnesota who smoke: 13.8% (598,500) Adults who die each year in Minnesota from their own smoking: 5900 Kids alive in Minnesota today who will ultimately die from smoking: (given current smoking levels): 102,000 Annual health care expenditures in Minnesota directly caused by tobacco use: $$2.51 billion The FDA has proposed that this rule would take effect one year after the final rule is issued. Given the number of lives that the rule would save, the Association for Nonsmokers-Minnesota strongly urges the FDA to act more quickly to get the final regulation in place. In the proposed rule, it is apparent that the FDA is considering exempting heated cigarette products like iQOS or so-called Very Low Nicotine (VLN) cigarettes from this rule. Given the potential harm of these products, it is critical that they not be exempted from the proposed standard. Finally, the proposed rule indicated that the FDA is considering establishing a process by which a manufacturer could request an exemption from the standard for a particular product on a case-by-case basis. The Association for Nonsmokers-Minnesota strongly discourages any exemptions to ensure the strongest possible public health benefit from the final rule. Respectfully, Jeanne Weigum ,Director Association for Nonsmokers-Minnesota Download PDF with citations

Saint Paul’s new commercial tobacco ordinance prohibits the redemption of coupons that make products like this accessible to youth by keeping prices low. SAINT PAUL (6/13/2022) – Cents-off coupons and tobacco specials are a thing of the past under Saint Paul’s recently implemented commercial tobacco ordinance. An April survey found that all of Saint Paul’s tobacco retailers are complying with that part of the ordinance which went into effect on December 11, 2021. The ordinance has multiple provisions including a prohibition on the redemption of coupons and price promotions for all commercial tobacco and vaping products and a $10 minimum price for cigarettes and smokeless tobacco. Saint Paul’s ordinance is considered to be the most comprehensive in the nation in terms of reducing access to commercial tobacco products. The new ordinance aims to make commercial tobacco products less accessible to young people by keeping prices high. It also protects communities that have been historically targeted by tobacco industry marketing such as youth, Black, Indigenous, Asian, Latino, and LGBTQ communities. According to the Association for Nonsmokers – Minnesota (ANSR), the ordinance is exceeding expectations. ANSR recently collaborated with community partners to assess retailer compliance and found 100% compliance with the coupon provision of the ordinance. Among the 146 tobacco retailers that were included in the assessment, only two were found in violation of the minimum price provision.  “This ordinance is the first in the country to stop price promotions and price discounts on chew, cigarettes and vape products.  The tobacco industry uses price promotions to tempt consumers and it undermines people’s efforts to quit.  They spend more money temporarily reducing the price of tobacco than on any other type of advertising or promotion, $7.7 billion in 2016, nearly $900,000 every hour,” said Jeanne Weigum, ANSR President.  ANSR attributes the high compliance rates, in part, to tobacco retailer education. Early in 2022, ANSR worked with the City of Saint Paul’s Department of Safety and Inspections to provide notification letters, signs, and an educational guide to all tobacco retailers to ensure they were aware of the provisions of the new ordinance. “I’m proud that St. Paul has successfully implemented one of the strongest tobacco ordinances in the country. A lot of work and collaboration with partners went on behind the scenes to ensure that this ordinance does its job: to protect communities that have been historically targeted by the tobacco industry and reduce health disparities for years to come. Our vendors are doing a good job complying and we appreciate it,” said Council President Amy Brendmoen.  Public health advocates hope that other Minnesota cities will follow Saint Paul’s lead to adopt strong tobacco ordinances. Most recently, the Little Canada City Council voted unanimously on May 25, 2022 to end indoor sampling at tobacco shops and to cap tobacco licenses at zero meaning no new tobacco licenses will be issued in the city; however, current tobacco retailers can retain their licenses. Other Minnesota cities, including Saint Paul, have caps on tobacco licenses; however, Bloomington and Little Canada are the only cities with a cap at zero.