ST PAUL, Minn. — It's being called one of the strongest sales restrictions in the country.
The proposed ordinance in St. Paul, supported by members of the city council would drastically limit access to tobacco and vaping products citywide.
The proposal, which would amend Chapter 324 of the Legislative Code would set a $10 minimum price for cigarette packs and standard-size cans of smokeless tobacco and prohibits the use of coupons or price promotions on all commercial tobacco products. If passed, St. Paul will be one of a handful of cities in the country that will prohibit both the use of coupons and other price promotions.
"This is about taking back our community and ensuring that they can live in a community that is thriving in terms of health, in terms of being able to walk down the street and not have to see so many tobacco shops all around as well," said Councilmember Nelsie Yang.
The proposed ordinance also lays out a number of other clarifying provisions, including:
- Creating two classes of tobacco licenses – one for businesses like convenience stores that sell tobacco along with other products and one for businesses that primarily sell tobacco products
- Setting a distance between retailers that sell tobacco of at least one-half mile
- Reducing the number of tobacco licenses over time from 190 to 150
- Prohibiting the sale of all menthol and flavored tobacco products in liquor stores
"We've been seeing tobacco shops also violate our own tobacco ordinances and had to up the punishment on them as well because holding them accountable is so important," said Yang.
City leaders say it's a comprehensive approach, inching the city closer to a smoke free generation, and keeping kids safe from a lifetime addiction to tobacco.
"When I think about my own lived experiences growing up in middle school, high school and seeing my own classmates start smoking at a really young age," said Yang. She went on to say, "especially communities of color, working class communities who have been intentionally targeted by tobacco industries to start smoking at a young age or to start smoking overall."
Increasing penalties on retailers who violate city tobacco policies will help stem the tide of tobacco addiction in communities most impacted by tobacco industry targeting. Tobacco companies spent $7.7 billion in 2016 to reduce the price of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco for consumers. That is nearly $900,000 every hour. Tobacco companies use coupons and retail promotions to lower the price of products. Price promotions are targeted to smokers, so they are nearly invisible to the general public and allow the tobacco industry to manipulate their prices.
Only a few cities across the country have adopted minimum price and price discounting prohibition policies; St. Paul's policy is the most comprehensive because it includes e-cigarettes.
St. Paul's tobacco ordinance comes after years of organizing and advocacy led by the Association for Nonsmokers—Minnesota (ANSR). ANSR engaged more than 40 diverse community partners, St. Paul neighborhood District Councils, the St. Paul Youth Commission and the St. Paul Human Rights Commission to support the effort.
A public hearing on the ordinance is set for October 20th, followed by a city council vote on the 27th.
If approved, the restrictions would go into effect November 27th.