Press Releases

House Committee Advances Rep. Schultz’s Bill to Raise Tobacco Prices and Invest in Prevention

St. Paul, Minn. – Today the House Preventive Health Policy Division heard HF1721, a bill authored by Rep. Jennifer Schultz (DFL-Duluth), that would fund tobacco prevention and raise the price of commercial tobacco products. Minnesotans for a Smoke-Free Generation, a coalition of more than 60 organizations that share a common goal of reducing youth smoking and ending tobacco’s harm for good, supports this proposal. Higher tobacco prices – coupled with dedicated funding – are urgently needed to address Minnesota’s stalled adult smoking rates and youth tobacco epidemic. The Preventive Health Policy Division voted 7-4 to advance the bill to the Health Finance and Policy Committee.

A tobacco price increase is overdue in Minnesota, and would be a major win for health and Minnesota kids. Rep. Schultz’s bill dedicates $15 million a year of cigarette tax revenues to tobacco prevention and treatment. It also increases the excise tax on a pack of cigarettes by $1.50, ends the tax break on premium cigars, taxes e-cigarette devices as tobacco products and conforms to federal e-cigarette online sales rules. Together, these tax changes will prevent tobacco addiction and help Minnesota keep pace with the ever-evolving tobacco industry.

“As a healthcare economist I understand that prevention not only saves lives – it also has cost savings,” said Rep. Schultz, the bill’s chief author. “Commercial tobacco use is one of the most stubborn and costly addictions that we face here in Minnesota. Every year, Minnesota loses 6,300 residents and $7 billion to smoking. Minnesota needs a comprehensive tobacco tax increase. And no matter how we fund it, we must invest in lifesaving tobacco prevention efforts.”

Raising commercial tobacco prices helps prevent young people from using tobacco products, helps smokers quit and saves lives. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids estimate that a $1.50 per pack increase would lead to major health gains, including 13,200 fewer kids becoming adult smokers, 24,300 adult smokers quitting and $800 million in long-term health savings.

The youth tobacco epidemic has erased decades of progress to reduce youth tobacco use. Last month, the Minnesota Department of Health released findings from the 2020 Minnesota Youth Tobacco Survey that found that while Minnesota has achieved historically low levels of youth smoking, the youth e-cigarette epidemic continues. One in five Minnesota high-schoolers reported using e-cigarettes within the past 30 days, and 70 percent of youth e-cigarette users reported signs of dependence.

Investing more funds in tobacco prevention and treatment ensures Minnesota is taking a wrap-around approach to stopping commercial tobacco’s harms. For more than two decades ClearWay Minnesota^SM, the foundation created with 3 percent of the tobacco settlement, has provided the majority of funding for tobacco prevention in Minnesota. ClearWay Minnesota will sunset at the end of 2021, leaving a gap in prevention resources. Meanwhile, Minnesota took in nearly $760 million in tobacco revenue and spent only 1 percent of that total on commercial tobacco prevention and treatment.

“As we at ClearWay Minnesota reach our sunset, tobacco remains a threat, especially when it comes to the youth e-cigarette epidemic and racial disparities,” said Molly Moilanen, Vice President at ClearWay Minnesota^SM and Co-Chair of Minnesotans for a Smoke-Free Generation. “Raising tobacco prices and securing sustainable tobacco prevention funding will create a healthier future for Minnesota.”

The COVID-19 pandemic accentuates the need for strong tobacco prevention and treatment programs. Current and former smokers are at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19. To make matters worse, communities targeted by the tobacco industry, including Black and Indigenous Minnesotans, are some of the hardest hit by COVID-19.

Minnesotans for a Smoke-Free Generation urges lawmakers to take a comprehensive approach to reduce youth tobacco use, including increasing tobacco prices, ending the sale of all flavored tobacco products and investing in tobacco prevention programs.

More info:

• Fact sheet: Funding tobacco prevention and treatment
• Fact sheet: Higher tobacco taxes = fewer kids smoking
• Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids: Broken Promises on Tobacco Prevention Spending – Minnesota
• American Lung Association: State of Tobacco Control 2021 – Minnesota grades

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, ending the sale of menthol and all flavored tobacco products, and funding tobacco prevention and treatment 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, Masonic Cancer Center – University of Minnesota, 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, Minnesota Dental Association, MHA – Minnesota Hospital Association, Minnesota Medical Association, Minnesota Nurses Association, Minnesota Oral Health Coalition, Minnesota Public Health Association, Minnesota Society for Public Health Education, 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.