Promoting smoke-free spaces and implementing strategies to prevent youth tobacco use

 Current projects

• Smoke-free Rental Housing Campaign
  • Working with apartment building and condos that are interested in implementing smoke free policies.
  • Supporting MPHA with their smoke free policy (implemented August 2018 in all public housing).
• Youth Vaping Prevention 
  • Education and engagement for vaping prevention and intervention by partnering with schools/parents and community organizations.

 Ordinances

• In August 2018, menthol tobacco is only available for sale in Minneapolis at tobacco products shops and off-sale liquor stores. The City Council voted to restrict sales of all flavored tobacco products including menthol, mint and wintergreen to tobacco product shops and off-sale liquor stores.
•  In October 2018, Minneapolis joined more than 340 cities nationwide in raising the tobacco sales age to 21
  • Minneapolis raised the age from 18 to help protect younger generations from lifelong nicotine addiction, tobacco-related illnesses, and the tobacco-related health disparities between white populations and people of color.
• Flavor and Price Tobacco Sales Ordinance
  • In 2015 the Minneapolis City Council restricted the sale of flavored tobacco to tobacco only shops, menthol flavor was exempted and sat a minimum price of $2.60 per cigar up to a 4 pack of cigars.
• Preventing youth tobacco use
  • The Minneapolis Health Department partnered with We Win Institute and the Minneapolis Youth Congress to raise awareness about the problem of youth tobacco use amongst parents, youth and community members.