Local Health Experts Point Out How Minnesota Can Better Prevent, Stop Tobacco Use

(KNSI) – Minnesota’s tobacco control report card contains some passing and failing grades, according to the American Lung Association.

In its State of Tobacco 2021 report, the ALA says Minnesota gets an A for smokefree air. The state gets Bs for its efforts in access to tobacco cessation services and tobacco taxes. However, Minnesota receives Fs for flavored tobacco products and tobacco prevention and cessation funding.

On the funding side, the ALA says Minnesota will spend $12.4 million on state prevention and cessation programs, with an additional $1.5 million from the federal government.

“Unfortunately, there’s still a lot of taxation and money that isn’t going toward prevention; it’s going more toward the general fund,” says Jodi Gertken, CentraCare’s community wellness program director.

Minnesota is earning $706 million in tobacco-related revenue in Fiscal Year 2021.

“I think that, in part, reflects why we have such a failing grade and a real opportunity where we can do more specifically in this [legislative] session and even with Governor Walz’s proposal on a tobacco tax,” Gertken said. “We just need to ensure that those dollars are then earmarked for prevention services and for treatment.”

Tobacco and nicotine use prevention should be the priority for those funds, says CentraCare Paynesville tobacco treatment specialist Wendy Miller.

“We have a new generation of nicotine users entering adulthood at this point with the vaping epidemic, I would consider it,” Miller said. She says about a quarter of high school-aged youth have used a vape within the last 30 days.

“Certainly, prevention would be a great focus for those dollars,” Miller said.

Both Gertken and Miller said that raising the age of tobacco product use from 18 to 21 is a helpful step, but another action that could reduce youth tobacco use: restricting flavored products.

The ALA gives Minnesota an F grade because it does not have any laws or regulations that limit the sale of flavored tobacco products.

“Nicotine and tobacco don’t taste amazing on their own,” Miller said. “We really don’t see kids choosing tobacco-flavored products; they are choosing the fun and cool flavors.”

She added that minority populations and people who are socioeconomically disadvantaged disproportionately use menthol-flavored cigarettes.

“The more we can eliminate flavors, the less tobacco use we should have,” Miller said.

While the state gets a good grade for its availability of cessation services, there are some areas for improvement. Miller says improving insurance coverage for cessation treatment options is one aspect that can be improved.

“Some insurance doesn’t cover [nicotine replacement] because it’s available over-the-counter,” Miller said. “Making sure that those products that can reduce and eliminate nicotine use are available to the people who need them, because often those are people who will struggle to afford those things.”

Gertken says smoking is one of the leading causes of preventable disease and death among Minnesotans.

“We know what the solutions are, we know we need more money for prevention, we know we need to prohibit flavoring,” Gertken said. “So, if we can get these things done, the dividends are going to be very great for years and generations to come.”