Read the latest edition of
"Smoke Free News" |
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| Save the date! |
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Day at the Capitol |
March 22, 2012 |
Fight back against the Tobacco Industry. |
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Breaking News:
Faribault City Council passes tobacco shop moratorium
Read more
Minnesota's annual tobacco control Report Card: "F", "A", "C", "D"
Read more
MDH Report shows slower progress toward reducing teen tobacco use
Read more
New Mayo Clinic study confirms
smoke-free laws save lives
Read more
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Day at the Capitol:
Fight Back Against the Tobacco Industry
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Last year's Day at the Capitol: getting ready for rally in the Rotunda. |
Thursday, March 22, 2012
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***Carpool with us from locations in
Dodge, Goodhue, Rice and Steele counties*** |
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Free event, breakfast and lunch provided.
Registration required. Click here to register
Agenda
- Meeting and orientation at the Minnesota History Center
- Rally in the State Capitol Rotunda
- Meet with our lawmakers
We will meet with our legislators at the Capitol and urge them to:
- Significantly increase the price of all tobacco products
- Defend our Freedom to Breathe
- Protect our kids from “little cigars” and candy flavored tobacco products
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Make your voice heard in our state capitol.
You CAN make a difference!
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***Registration deadline March 12, 2012***
(Nurses - Earn CEU credits!)
This event is free, but registration is required.
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MDH Report shows slower progress toward reducing teen tobacco use
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Tobacco use by Minnesota teens decreased at a slower rate between 2008 and 2011 and more than 50 percent of high-schoolers are still exposed to secondhand smoke
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) released new information on December 6, 2011 showing that after a decade of sharp declines in tobacco use among teens, progress is slowing.
In addition, more than 50 percent of high school students are still exposed to secondhand smoke, despite the passage of the Freedom to Breathe Act in 2007. Equally concerning is that the use of menthol cigarettes has more than doubled among teen smokers since 2000.
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| Dr. Ed Ehlinger, Minnesota Commissioner of Health, noted a number of strategies that public health officials across the country have used to successfully reduce and prevent youth tobacco use, including: |
- Price increases on tobacco products.
- Counter-advertising mass-media campaigns that include TV and radio commercials, posters, and other media messages to counter pro-tobacco marketing.
- Comprehensive school-based tobacco-use prevention policies and programs, such as tobacco-free campuses.
- Community interventions that reduce tobacco advertising, promotions and commercial availability of tobacco products.
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These findings are included in the report, Teens and Tobacco in Minnesota 2011; Results from the Minnesota Youth Tobacco and Asthma Survey.
(read the full Press Release from MDH) |
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| What is a Tobacco Bond? |
The budget deal between Governor Dayton and the Minnesota Legislature that ended the state government shut-down last summer is based in part on revenue from issuing $640 million in Tobacco Bonds. There is still a lot of confusion about what a Tobacco Bond is.
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In 1998, Minnesota settled its lawsuit against the major tobacco companies. As part of this legal settlement, the state receives annual payments from the tobacco companies. These annual payments began in 1998 and will continue every year.
The tobacco companies are currently paying Minnesota about $160 million per year. These annual payments go into the state's general fund and are used for the general operation of our state government.
Tobacco Bonds will raise money now by sellling state bonds against future annual payments from the tobacco companies. Other states have sold tobacco bonds. They have found that this is a very expensive way to raise money.
The final cost to Minnesota taxpayers could be 150 to 200 percent of the value of the bonds that are sold. The cost for issuing $640 million in tobacco bonds could be over $1 billion.
Tobacco Bonds will not increase the retail price for a pack of cigarettes in Minnesota and should not be confused with a tobacco tax increase. Unlike a tobacco tax increase, Tobacco Bonds will not help current smokers to quit or prevent youth from starting to smoke.
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| "Little Cigars" |
Cheap tobacco isn't good for anyone - especially our kids! |
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What's the difference between a cigarette and a "little cigar"?
Both are filtered, come in packs of 20 and are very similar in size and weight. Llittle cigars have tobacco pulp in their rolling paper turning it brown. This technicality allows them to escape proper taxation and regulation. A pack of 20 cigarettes sells for around $5.70, while a pack of 20 "litttle cigars" sells for as little as $1.89. |
| Read a Fact Sheet about the "Little Cigar" bill. |
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How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease
This is the title of the 2010 report from the Surgeon General of the United States. Along with the 700 page report, the Surgeon General has released a consumer booklet that sums up the key findings from the report in a short, easy to read format.
- Why is tobacco so addictive?
- How can brief exposure to tobacco smoke trigger a heart attack?
- How can tobacco smoke damage your DNA and lead to cancer?
Every American should read this booklet:
How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease...what it means to you
Smoking costs Minnesota $2.87 billion
A new report released by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota reveals that Minnesota paid a staggering $2.87 billion in 2007 to treat disease caused by smoking. The real tragedy is the cost in human suffering. To get the full story, read the report:
Health Care Costs and Smoking in Minnesota: The Bottom Line
What is the Four Corners Partnership?
The Four Corners Partnership is a coalition of concerned citizens and local organizations coordinated by the Public Health Services in Dodge, Goodhue, Rice and Steele counties. The goal of the Partnership is to reduce the harm caused by tobacco in our four-county region. Funding for this work comes from a grant from ClearWay Minnesota.
What is the ClearWay Minnesota Action Center?
Sign up now for this great resource that will help to make you a more effective advocate for reducing the harm caused by tobacco. ClearWay Minnesota Action Center
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Minnesota's Tobacco 2011 Report Card
| Tobacco Prevention and Control Spending |
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Cigarette Tax |
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| Smoke-free Air |
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Cessation Coverage |
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The American Lung Association issues a annual report card for each state. Your continued support of Minnesota’s smoke-free law will help us to keep our one “A”! Our other grades show that there is still a lot of work to be done to reduce tobacco's harm in Minnesota. Please take a look at our Report Card to see what we could be doing better.
Minnesota’s 2011 Report Card (2-page Report Card)
State of Tobacco Control 2011: How Does Your State Measure Up?
(Full Report)
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How much does tobacco really cost?
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This report from ClearWay Minnesota is part of a larger campaign to give Minnesotans a fresh perspective on how the industry is targeting its customers today, and to encourage conversations about the persistent dangers of tobacco use. The industry is evolving for the 21st century, with innovative products and marketing strategies designed to seduce new smokers and keep existing smokers hooked.
Have you seen tobacco advertising in your community? Be on the lookout for ways the tobacco industry has infiltrated your community, including local events, festivals, convenience stores, youth organizations – the list goes on.
Go to www.unfilteredmn.org and use the Guestbook feature to share your stories and upload photos. See what others are finding in their communities. (Look for the photo from Red Wing!) |
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