Press Releases

ADVISORY: Legislators to Hear Five Bills to Reverse Minnesota’s Youth Tobacco Epidemic

ST. PAUL – This week, Minnesotans for a Smoke-Free Generation will participate in four legislative hearings on five measures to reverse the youth nicotine epidemic.

On Tuesday, March 3 at 12:45 p.m., members of the coalition will testify in two concurrent House hearings. The House Transportation Finance and Policy Division will hear Rep. Rena Moran’s (DFL-St. Paul) bill (HF3072) to protect kids in cars from secondhand smoke and e-cigarette aerosol. Meanwhile, the House Health and Human Services Finance Division will hear Rep. Edelson’s (DFL-Edina) Tobacco 21 bill (HF331) and Rep. Halverson’s (DFL-Eagan) bill to dedicate delinquent tobacco settlement funds to health (HF1058). Both bills passed last year in the House omnibus health budget, but were not included in the final compromise budget.

On Wednesday, March 4 at 2:30 p.m., the House Commerce Committee will hear HF3032, which would prohibit the sale of all flavored tobacco products in Minnesota. Chair Halverson is chief author of that bill. Flavored tobacco products are a key reason Minnesota is facing a youth nicotine epidemic. Prohibiting the sale of all flavored tobacco products, especially menthol, will create a healthier future for kids and address tobacco-related health disparities. On Friday, the Health and Human Services Policy Committee advanced the bill on a voice vote with no audible opposition.

On Thursday, March 5 at 8:30 a.m., the Senate Taxes Committee will hear a bill (SF3512) that would dedicate a portion of tobacco tax revenue to tobacco prevention. Chair Senator Roger Chamberlain (R-Lino Lakes) is lead author of the bill. Minnesota only spends about a third of the $53 million the CDC recommends the state invest in tobacco prevention and control efforts each year. To make matters worse, ClearWay Minnesota, which currently funds the majority of the state’s spending on tobacco prevention, will sunset in 2021. Of the $780 million Minnesota collected last year in tobacco taxes and settlement fees, less than 1 percent was spent on tobacco control.

Minnesotans for a Smoke-Free Generation is a coalition of more than 60 organizations that share a common goal of reducing youth smoking and ending tobacco’s harm for good. In the 2020 Legislative Session, the coalition will promote a comprehensive approach to address tobacco’s harm. The coalition is united behind four major goals that reduce youth smoking and nicotine addiction, including increasing tobacco prices, raising the tobacco sale age to 21, prohibiting the sale of all flavored tobacco products and investing in tobacco prevention and cessation programs. The coalition also supports extending clean indoor air protections to kids in cars.

Here are the details:

Tuesday, March 3, 2020 – 12:45 p.m. Hearing in HHS Finance (Tobacco 21, Dedicating Settlement Funds)

WHAT: House Health and Human Services Finance Division (hearing notice), Hearing on Tobacco 21 (HF331) and delinquent tobacco settlement dedication (HF1058)

WHEN: 12:45 p.m. – Tuesday, March 3, 2020

WHERE: State Office Building (Room 200)

WHO: Chief Author Rep. Heather Edelson (HF331 – Tobacco 21), Chief Author Rep. Laurie Halverson (HF1058 – settlement dedication)

MORE INFO: Fact Sheet: Adopt a Strong Tobacco 21 Law

Fact Sheet: Funding Tobacco Prevention and Cessation

 

Tuesday, March 3, 2020 – 12:45 p.m. Hearing in House Transportation (Kids in Cars)

WHAT: House Transportation Finance and Policy Division (hearing notice), Hearing on Clean Air for Kids in Cars (HF3072)

WHEN: 12:45 p.m. – Tuesday, March 3, 2020

WHERE: State Office Building (Room 10)

WHO: Chief Author Rep. Rena Moran, LaTrisha Vetaw, NorthPoint Health & Wellness Center

MORE INFO: Fact Sheet: Clean Air for Kids in Cars

 

Wednesday, March 4, 2020 – 2:30 p.m. Hearing in House Commerce (Flavored Tobacco)

WHAT: House Commerce (hearing notice), Hearing on bill to prohibit flavored tobacco products (HF3032)

WHEN: 2:30 p.m. – Wednesday, March 4, 2020

WHERE: State Office Building (Basement Hearing Room)

WHO: Chief Author Rep. Laurie Halverson, Members of Minnesotans for a Smoke-Free Generation

MORE INFO: Fact Sheet: Prohibit the Sale of All Flavored Tobacco Products

 

Thursday, March 5, 2020 – 8:30 a.m. Hearing in Senate Taxes (Prevention Funding) 

WHAT: Senate Taxes Committee (hearing notice), Hearing on bill that would dedicate tobacco taxes to tobacco prevention (SF3512)

WHEN: 8:30 a.m. – Thursday, March 5, 2020,

WHERE: State Capitol Room 15

WHO: Chief Author Sen. Roger Chamberlain, Molly Moilanen, Co-Chair, Minnesotans for a Smoke-Free Generation

MORE INFO: Fact Sheet: Funding Tobacco Prevention and Cessation, Fact sheet: ClearWay Minnesota will Sunset in 2021

 

FOLLOW: @smokefreegenMN

About Minnesotans for a Smoke-Free Generation

Minnesotans for a Smoke-Free Generation is a coalition of more than 60 organizations that share a common goal of saving Minnesota youth from a lifetime of addiction to tobacco. The coalition supports policies that reduce youth smoking and nicotine addiction, including increasing tobacco prices, raising the tobacco sale age to 21, limiting access to candy-, fruit- and menthol-flavored tobacco, and funding tobacco prevention and cessation programs.

Partners include: The African American Leadership Forum, Allina Health, Allina Health | Aetna, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Heart Association, American Lung Association in Minnesota, Apple Tree Dental, Association for Nonsmokers – Minnesota, Aurora/St. Anthony Neighborhood Development Corporation, Becker County Energized, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, A Breath of Hope Lung Foundation, Cancer Legal Care, CentraCare, Children’s Defense Fund-MN, Children’s Minnesota, ClearWay Minnesota^SM, Comunidades Latinas Unidas En Servicio – CLUES, Dodge County Public Health, Education Minnesota, Essentia Health, Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare, A Healthier Southwest, HealthPartners, Hennepin Healthcare, Horizon Public Health, Indigenous Peoples Task Force, ISAIAH, JustUs Health, LAAMPP Alumni, Lake Region Healthcare, Local Public Health Association of Minnesota, LPCFC – Lincoln Park Children and Families Collaborative, March of Dimes, Mayo Clinic, Medica, Meeker McLeod Sibley Community Health Services, Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians, Minnesota Association of Community Health Centers, Minnesota Cancer Alliance, Minnesota Council of Health Plans, MHA – Minnesota Hospital Association, Minnesota Medical Association, Minnesota Nurses Association, Minnesota Oral Health Coalition, Minnesota Public Health Association, MNAAP – Minnesota Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, ModelCities, NAMI Minnesota, North Memorial Health, NorthPoint Health & Wellness, Olmsted Medical Center, Open Cities Health Center, PartnerSHIP 4 Health, Perham Health & Living, Preventing Tobacco Addiction Foundation, SEIU Healthcare Minnesota, ShiftMN, St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce, Steele County Public Health, Tobacco-Free Alliance, Twin Cities Medical Society, UCare, Vision In Living Life – Change is Possible, WellShare International and Zumbro Valley Medical Society. Find out more at: smokefreegenmn.org.