Minneapolis, Minn.  – The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners showed strong leadership in protecting the health and safety of its residents on Feb. 10. The board voted 6-1 to prohibit electronic cigarette use in most public indoor spaces. The ordinance update means the use of electronic cigarettes is not allowed anywhere conventional cigarette use is also not allowed, such as work places, restaurants and bars. “Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death and disease in Minnesota, and this change is a necessary step in protecting the right of Minnesotans to breathe clean air,” said Commissioner Marion Greene, the champion of the ordinance. “We are also committed to health for our youngest populations. Nicotine is addictive, affects youth brain development. E-cigarette flavors are heavily targeted to youth and normalize smoking behavior.” This ordinance change helps protect the general public from exposure to electronic cigarette emissions, which are known to contain ingredients that are harmful to human health.  Further, this ordinance upholds a smoke-free norm and protects youth from exposure to these products, which is important given that electronic cigarettes are becoming popular with high school students. The recent Minnesota Youth Tobacco Survey, released in November, shows 28 percent of high school students have tried e-cigarettes, and 13 percent have used or tried them in the past 30 days. Nearly a quarter of those who have tried e-cigarettes have never tried conventional tobacco products. “This is a huge win for public health and the people of Minnesota,” said Betsy Brock, Research Director for the Association for Nonsmokers-Minnesota (ANSR). “Hennepin County is our state’s most populated county and an economic engine for the region. This policy will protect many residents and workers. Our hope is other counties and cities, and eventually the state, will follow Hennepin’s lead.”

July 1, 2022 Commissioner Robert M. Califf M.D. c/o Division of Dockets Management HFA-305 Food and Drug Administration 5630 Fishers Lane, Room 1061 Rockville, MD 20825 Re: Proposed tobacco product standard eliminating menthol as a characterizing flavor in cigarettes Docket No. FDA-2021-N-1349 Dear Commissioner Califf, On April 28, 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration proposed an historic rule to prohibit menthol as a characterizing flavor in cigarettes. The Association for Nonsmokers-Minnesota (ANSR) from Saint Paul, Minnesota is pleased to submit these comments to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in strong support of the proposed product standard prohibiting menthol as a characterizing flavor in cigarettes, which will reduce youth smoking, save lives, and advance health equity. The proposed rule will have an enormous public health impact both in the short and long term. Founded in 1975, ANSR is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing the human and economic costs of commercial tobacco use. ANSR is Minnesota’s oldest nonprofit dedicated solely to tobacco control and has a proven track record of passing bold tobacco control policies. Our core commitments are to reduce the number of young smokers, combat health inequities, and advocate for the health of all Minnesotans and have a strong history of collaboration with diverse partners and community groups to advance policy change at the city, county, and state level. ANSR has led efforts in several cities across the state to restrict or end the sale of menthol and all flavored tobacco products. While the decision is long overdue, this action is a powerful and crucial step toward mitigating some of the disparities in health outcomes for minority communities in our state, especially among Black Minnesotans. Prohibiting menthol cigarettes would decrease tobacco-related health disparities and advance health equity, especially among Black Americans. Menthol cigarettes have caused substantial harm to public health, and particularly to Black Americans. For more than 60 years, the tobacco industry has targeted Black Americans with marketing and price promotions for menthol cigarettes,¹ and as a result, 85% of Black smokers smoke menthol cigarettes compared to 29% of White smokers.² Consequently, Black Americans are less likely to successfully quit smoking ³ and suffer disproportionately from tobacco-related disease and death. ⁴ Despite accounting for 12% of the population, Black Americans represented 41% of premature deaths caused by menthol cigarettes between 1980 and 2018.⁵ In addition to youth and Black smokers, preference for menthol is also disproportionately high among Hispanic and Asian smokers, lesbian, gay, and bisexual smokers, smokers with mental health problems, socioeconomically disadvantaged populations, and pregnant women.⁶ Importantly, the proposed product standard is expected to substantially decrease tobacco-related health disparities and to advance health equity across population groups. Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States.⁷ Prohibiting menthol cigarettes, which are more difficult to quit than non-menthol cigarettes, will reduce this burden by increasing smoking cessation.⁸ A research study led by the African American Leadership Forum in 2016 found that U.S.-born African Americans confirm menthol tobacco is a serious threat to their health with 84% of surveyed smokers smoke a brand that is menthol and 72% of surveyed smokers agreed menthol makes it harder to quit. The 2016 research also showed that a majority of African American community members support new laws to reduce tobacco’s harm with 69% of surveyed smokers supporting more laws to reduce the harms of smoking and 60% of surveyed smokers said they would quit if menthol was no longer sold in stores. This data clearly illustrates that removing menthol and flavored tobacco from the marketplace will address health disparities caused by Big Tobacco’s lethal tactics. Racism is a public health crisis. Clearing the market of menthol and all flavored products will directly improve the health of Black communities and other groups targeted by Big Tobacco. Menthol makes smoking easier and more attractive for youth. Menthol makes experimentation easier because it can mask irritation from smoking. Menthol flavoring makes it easier for kids to start smoking and harder for adults to quit.⁹,¹⁰ Menthol tobacco products appeal to youth. More than a third of Minnesota adolescent smokers (34 percent) report smoking menthol cigarettes, compared to 28 percent of Minnesota adult smokers.¹¹, ¹² There is more that can be done to prevent youth from becoming addicted to commercial tobacco products and the predatory practices of the tobacco industry. There is local support and momentum for menthol restrictions. In Minnesota, 17 cities have passed strong ordinances to restrict or end the sales of menthol tobacco products. ANSR has created and led the community-driven campaign, Beautiful Lie Ugly Truth ( www.beautifullieuglytruth.org ), to engage with communities that have been disproportionately impacted by tobacco use and encourage decision makers to pass comprehensive policies to reduce access to menthol tobacco products, Since 2017, ANSR has worked with some of the biggest cities in the metro area such as Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Bloomington, Edina and Roseville to pass some of the first comprehensive restrictions on the sale of all menthol-flavored tobacco products in the country. These cities have successfully adopted and implemented restrictions to sell menthol tobacco products and substantially reduced access and availability of these products. The number of outlets selling menthol tobacco products decreased by 76% in Minneapolis and 62% in St. Paul.¹³ There are several more municipalities that continue to show support for comprehensive regulation of menthol tobacco products in their communities. Prohibiting menthol as a characterizing flavor in cigarettes will help to reduce the tremendous toll of tobacco in Minnesota:¹⁴ High school students who smoke: 3.2% (9,300) Additional kids (under 18) who become new regular, daily smokers each year: 1500 Adults in Minnesota who smoke: 13.8% (598,500) Adults who die each year in Minnesota from their own smoking: 5900 Kids alive in Minnesota today who will ultimately die from smoking: (given current smoking levels): 102,000 Annual health care expenditures in Minnesota directly caused by tobacco use: $$2.51 billion The FDA has proposed that this rule would take effect one year after the final rule is issued. Given the number of lives that the rule would save, the Association for Nonsmokers-Minnesota strongly urges the FDA to act more quickly to get the final regulation in place. In the proposed rule, it is apparent that the FDA is considering exempting heated cigarette products like iQOS or so-called Very Low Nicotine (VLN) cigarettes from this rule. Given the potential harm of these products, it is critical that they not be exempted from the proposed standard. Finally, the proposed rule indicated that the FDA is considering establishing a process by which a manufacturer could request an exemption from the standard for a particular product on a case-by-case basis. The Association for Nonsmokers-Minnesota strongly discourages any exemptions to ensure the strongest possible public health benefit from the final rule. Respectfully, Jeanne Weigum ,Director Association for Nonsmokers-Minnesota Download PDF with citations

Saint Paul’s new commercial tobacco ordinance prohibits the redemption of coupons that make products like this accessible to youth by keeping prices low. SAINT PAUL (6/13/2022) – Cents-off coupons and tobacco specials are a thing of the past under Saint Paul’s recently implemented commercial tobacco ordinance. An April survey found that all of Saint Paul’s tobacco retailers are complying with that part of the ordinance which went into effect on December 11, 2021. The ordinance has multiple provisions including a prohibition on the redemption of coupons and price promotions for all commercial tobacco and vaping products and a $10 minimum price for cigarettes and smokeless tobacco. Saint Paul’s ordinance is considered to be the most comprehensive in the nation in terms of reducing access to commercial tobacco products. The new ordinance aims to make commercial tobacco products less accessible to young people by keeping prices high. It also protects communities that have been historically targeted by tobacco industry marketing such as youth, Black, Indigenous, Asian, Latino, and LGBTQ communities. According to the Association for Nonsmokers – Minnesota (ANSR), the ordinance is exceeding expectations. ANSR recently collaborated with community partners to assess retailer compliance and found 100% compliance with the coupon provision of the ordinance. Among the 146 tobacco retailers that were included in the assessment, only two were found in violation of the minimum price provision.  “This ordinance is the first in the country to stop price promotions and price discounts on chew, cigarettes and vape products.  The tobacco industry uses price promotions to tempt consumers and it undermines people’s efforts to quit.  They spend more money temporarily reducing the price of tobacco than on any other type of advertising or promotion, $7.7 billion in 2016, nearly $900,000 every hour,” said Jeanne Weigum, ANSR President.  ANSR attributes the high compliance rates, in part, to tobacco retailer education. Early in 2022, ANSR worked with the City of Saint Paul’s Department of Safety and Inspections to provide notification letters, signs, and an educational guide to all tobacco retailers to ensure they were aware of the provisions of the new ordinance. “I’m proud that St. Paul has successfully implemented one of the strongest tobacco ordinances in the country. A lot of work and collaboration with partners went on behind the scenes to ensure that this ordinance does its job: to protect communities that have been historically targeted by the tobacco industry and reduce health disparities for years to come. Our vendors are doing a good job complying and we appreciate it,” said Council President Amy Brendmoen.  Public health advocates hope that other Minnesota cities will follow Saint Paul’s lead to adopt strong tobacco ordinances. Most recently, the Little Canada City Council voted unanimously on May 25, 2022 to end indoor sampling at tobacco shops and to cap tobacco licenses at zero meaning no new tobacco licenses will be issued in the city; however, current tobacco retailers can retain their licenses. Other Minnesota cities, including Saint Paul, have caps on tobacco licenses; however, Bloomington and Little Canada are the only cities with a cap at zero.

In partnership with the Association for Nonsmokers-Minnesota (ANSR), three UMN undergraduate students working toward a minor degree in Leadership created and disseminated a survey about vaping trends and patterns on campus. These students promoted the survey through their own social media accounts on Instagram and Snapchat. As a convenience sample it is a snapshot that can provide insight to the trends and patterns of the students who participated in this survey. They developed a confidential online survey and promoted it through their friends and social media and were able to collect over 330 responses. Key Findings #tobacco #minnesota #vaping #survey #umn #college

By Meghan McFarling Most people could probably assume that commercial tobacco products like cigarettes harm our environment. Cigarettes are commonly found littered on our streets, and the toxic chemicals and tobacco found in these products are seen leaking into our soil and waterways. Therefore, one might think e-cigarettes, or “vapes,” may be better for our environment than cigarettes or other tobacco products. Those who vape may use one disposable vape per day, while those who smoke cigarettes may smoke a pack or two per day. If both of these products were littered, on the surface, it would look like the disposable vape would look like it would cause a lot less harm than a few dozen cigarettes. However, experts believe that this might not be the case; vapes may cause more damage than cigarettes.1 While we don’t know exactly how much more harmful they can be, the extraction of natural resources and the pollution during the manufacturing process, as well as the improper disposal of most vapes, can lead to a much dire environmental impact than we may realize. The Environmental Impact of the Creation of Vapes Mining While many environmental sources don’t specifically state this when discussing the environmental impacts of vapes, it’s important to note that nearly all vapes contain lithium.2 Lithium is a naturally-occurring metal used in most batteries, including vape batteries.3 In order to gather lithium, it needs to be mined from brine or hard rock, and doing so can lead to soil degradation, water shortages, and overall damage to our ecosystem.4 Not only is lithium mining highly harmful to the environment and is often done on tribal land in the United States. For example, in Nevada, a new lithium mining project was created in 2021 on a sacred indigenous burial site.5 If lithium for batteries is mined in other countries, there are often fewer environmental regulations, so environmental destruction and unethical labor practices are much more common.6 While batteries are necessary for everyday life in the 21st century, we often don’t know where our batteries come from or how they were produced, especially when it comes to the batteries in vapes. Since most vape companies do not disclose this information to consumers, it’s difficult to determine how much of a negative environmental impact these batteries and vapes are making. Deforestation Like most other tobacco products, most vape products get nicotine from tobacco plants. In order to obtain the nicotine from these plants, deforestation occurs so that more tobacco plants can be grown, harvested, cured, and manufactured. In 2015, it was estimated by the World Health Organization that 600 million trees are cut down every year by the tobacco industry.7 This incredible amount of deforestation has led to tremendous loss of natural habitats and food sources for wildlife, which in turn leads to the extinction of various animal species and desertification.8 Deforestation also leads to an increased amount of greenhouse gas emissions. Greenhouse gasses trap heat in our atmosphere, resulting in global warming and climate change.9 Greenhouse gasses also contribute to air pollution and poor air quality10 because when trees are burned to be removed from the land, the carbon stored in the trees turns into carbon dioxide- a greenhouse gas- and releases into the atmosphere.11 It’s estimated that around 10% of greenhouse gas emissions result from deforestation.12 Since most vaping products containing nicotine contain nicotine derived from tobacco plants, these products are contributing to reoccurring deforestation. That being said, some vape industries claim their vapes contain synthetic nicotine- nicotine created in a lab rather than obtained from tobacco leaves- and are better for the environment. However, this is far from the truth. Synthetic nicotine is still nicotine, and all types of nicotine are considered hazardous waste as nicotine damages the environment when disposed of improperly. Manufacturing Processes While deforestation contributes to an increase in greenhouse gasses, the manufacturing process of tobacco products can also contribute to a rise in greenhouse gasses. Factories, in general, harm the environment with pollutant emissions,13 and the tobacco industry is not taking the initiative to make the manufacturing process eco-friendly. While it’s known that the tobacco industry pollutes the air, uses and pollutes large amounts of water, and uses toxic chemicals in their manufacturing process for cigarettes, little is known about how the manufacturing process of vapes impacts the environment. The fact that we don’t know how bad the manufacturing process of vapes is for our environment is concerning because if we don’t know what the problems are and how significant they are, we cannot adequately address them and resolve them. However, we can assume that the immense amounts of natural resources used in the production of vapes and the toxic chemicals used to create them pose significant threats to our climate and environment. The Environmental Impact of the Disposal of Vapes Hazardous Waste The Environmental Protection Agency (the EPA) considers liquid nicotine “acute hazardous waste . ”14 This means products containing liquid nicotine cannot be thrown away into the regular trash or recycled without harming the environment and people.15 Vapes are considered hazardous waste for two key reasons: nicotine and battery content.14 Nicotine toxic to humans if consumed or absorbed through the skin or lungs, but it can also poison wildlife and pollute our soil and water.16 Batteries in vapes- and in general- are hazardous waste if not disposed of properly.1 When batteries are littered or improperly disposed of, the batteries corrode and the battery’s metals and chemicals- like lithium- leak into the ground and pollute our soil and water.17 Batteries that are improperly disposed can also cause fires in garbage and recycling trucks and landfills, which can harm people, animals, and our land.17 On top of the fact that batteries can pollute our environment when improperly disposed of, not recycling batteries is a massive waste of lithium and other materials that could be reused. When batteries aren’t recycled, more lithium mining and other forms of mining need to occur to compensate for the materials that have been lost. Non-Compostable Materials While nicotine, batteries, and vapes are technically “hazardous” waste, this doesn’t mean that the other components in vapes aren’t harmful to the environment. Most vapes contain metals, which can take many years to decompose.18 Vapes also have plastic, and plastic never fully decomposes. Rather than decomposing, plastic turns into “microplastics,” or tiny pieces of plastic, which continue to pollute the environment and pollute our food and drinking water.19 Greenwashing Despite everything we know about the harm that tobacco products like vapes cause for our environment, the tobacco industry- which is directly connected to the vaping industry- applies a marketing strategy called “greenwashing” to encourage consumers to use their products and to continue to use their products. They know that being eco-friendly is trendy nowadays, and they’ll do everything they can to convince consumers that their effects aren’t harmful or damaging to the Earth. For example, on Phillip Morris’s website, one of the major tobacco companies a part of Big Tobacco, claims that they have a 2025 climate roadmap, where they state that they want to do things like creating plans for reducing post-consumer waste, become carbon neutral, and promote biodiversity by the year 2025.20 They also state that they want to “purposefully phase out cigarettes” so that they can promote the sale of smoke-free products, AKA vapes.20 Despite all of these claims, however, Big Tobacco has refused to take responsibility for the immense environmental impact that its products have caused. It’s evident that Big Tobacco doesn’t care about the environment when we look at the fact that they are promoting the use of vape products; products that are likely worse for the environment than cigarettes.1 Even the World Health Organization has called out Big Tobacco for greenwashing and called for laws against it.21 Big tobacco has lied to the world for years about many things: they’ve claimed that tobacco products are not harmful to health, they’ve claimed that they never intentionally marketed their deadly products to youth and minority groups, and they’ve broken civil racketeering laws.22 That being said, we cannot fall victim to Big Tobacco’s lies about their “environmentally-friendly” industry. Concluding Thoughts Vapes harm not only the consumer’s health but also have a detrimental impact on our planet, and few people seem to be aware of this. By raising awareness on this topic, it’s possible that we can prevent environmentally-conscious people from starting to vape, which could have a positive impact on people and our Earth. However, it’s more important that we raise awareness so that we can take collective action and hold Big Tobacco accountable for detrimentally harming our planet. Those who use vapes are not responsible for the harm vapes are causing our world- Big Tobacco is. Their continuous use of harmful manufacturing methods, natural resources, toxic chemicals, and non-compostable materials shows that they only care about the money, not the people’s health or our world. To prevent further climate change and pollution, we must take down Big Tobacco. About the Author Meghan McFarling (she/her) is an Association for Nonsmokers-MN intern and former Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids Youth Ambassador. Meghan’s experience includes involvement with passing flavored tobacco restrictions and increasing the tobacco sale age to 21 in Shoreview and at the Minnesota legislature. Meghan didn’t only testify at all these places, she community organized, met with decision makers and followed through in assisting with enforcement and compliance after laws were changed at the local and state level. She is a recent graduate from the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse with a degree in political science, and is currently attending the University of Minnesota to pursue an MPH degree. In her free time you will find Meghan training at the gym, listening to podcasts, or advocating for social and environmental justice. References (1) A toxic, plastic problem: E-cigarette waste and the environment . (2021, March 1). Truth Initiative. https://truthinitiative.org/research-resources/harmful-effects-tobacco/toxic-plastic-problem-e-cigarette-waste-and-environment (2) Morris, Manning & Martin LLP. (2018). The Role of the Lithium-Ion Battery in E-Cig Malfunction Cases . https://www.mmmlaw.com/media/the-role-of-the-lithium-ion-battery-in-e-cig-malfunction-cases/ (3) Pappas, S. (2018, October 23). What Is Lithium? Livescience.Com. https://www.livescience.com/28579-lithium.html (4) Campbell, M. (2022, August 15). In pictures: South America’s “lithium fields” reveal the dark side of our electric future . Euronews. https://www.euronews.com/green/2022/02/01/south-america-s-lithium-fields-reveal-the-dark-side-of-our-electric-future#:%7E:text=Why%20is%20lithium%20extraction%20bad,an%20increase%20in%20global%20warming (5) Nairn, C. (2022, February 28). At a Native massacre site, tribes brace for a new, lithium-driven rush . Mongabay Environmental News. https://news.mongabay.com/2022/02/at-a-native-massacre-site-tribes-brace-for-a-new-lithium-driven-rush/ (6) Frankel, T. C. (2016). This is where your smartphone battery begins . Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/business/batteries/congo-cobalt-mining-for-lithium-ion-battery/ (7) Frost, R. (2022, May 31). Big tobacco is having a ‘devastating’ impact on the environment, WHO report reveals . Euronews. https://www.euronews.com/green/2022/05/31/big-tobacco-is-having-a-devastating-impact-on-the-environment-who-report-reveals (8) Stand For Trees (2022, July 24). Death in the Forest: Deforestation Effects on Animals and What You Can Do . Stand For Trees. https://standfortrees.org/blog/deforestation-effects-on-animals/#:%7E:text=It%20causes%20habitat%20destruction%2C%20increased,the%20main%20causes%20of%20extinction (9) Overview of Greenhouse Gases . (2022, May 16). US EPA. https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/overview-greenhouse-gases (10) Nunez, C. (2022, May 9). Carbon dioxide levels are at a record high. Here’s what you need to know. Environment. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/greenhouse-gases#:%7E:text=Greenhouse%20gases%20have%20far%2Dranging,change%20caused%20by%20greenhouse%20gases (11) Bache, T. (2021, January 14). What is the role of deforestation in climate change and how can “Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation” (REDD+) help? Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment. https://www.lse.ac.uk/granthaminstitute/explainers/whats-redd-and-will-it-help-tackle-climate-change/ (12) Dean, A. (2021, February 10). Deforestation and Climate Change . Climate Council. https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/deforestation/ (13) Facelle, A. K. (2017, March 13). The Impact of Industry on the Environment – What could possibly Trump this Global Warming epidemic? Penn State. https://sites.psu.edu/kbf3civicissues/2017/03/13/the-impact-of-industry-on-the-environment-2/ (14) Center for Tobacco Products. (2020, September 23). Tips for Safe Disposal of E-Cigarettes and E-Liquid Waste . U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/products-ingredients-components/tips-safe-disposal-e-cigarettes-and-e-liquid-waste#:%7E:text=Nicotine%20Is%20an%20Acute%20Hazardous%20Waste&text=Discarded%20or%20neglected%20vaping%20products,%2C%20including%20unused%20e%2Dliquid.&text=Improper%20storage%20and%20disposal%20of,exposure%20and%20accidental%20nicotine%20poisoning. (15) Learn the Basics of Hazardous Waste . (2022, July 6). US EPA. https://www.epa.gov/hw/learn-basics-hazardous-waste (16) Center for Disease Control. (n.d.). Nicotine: Systemic Agent | NIOSH | CDC . https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ershdb/emergencyresponsecard_29750028.html#:%7E:text=DESCRIPTION%3A%20Nicotine%20is%20a%20naturally,processing%20and%20extraction%20of%20tobacco. (17) McElwee, H. (2020, January 20). Battery Recycling is Important for Environmental Health . Gallegos Sanitation / Republic Services. https://gsiwaste.com/battery-recycling-is-important-for-environmental-health/#:%7E:text=As%20batteries%20corrode%2C%20their%20chemicals,when%20filled%20with%20battery%20chemicals (18) Freeman, M. (2019, December 6). What Things Will Not Decompose? Sciencing. https://sciencing.com/what-things-will-not-decompose-13373492.html (19) Carrington, D. (2021, December 8). Microplastics cause damage to human cells, study shows . The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/dec/08/microplastics-damage-human-cells-study-plastic#:%7E:text=Microplastics%20cause%20damage%20to%20human%20cells%20in%20the%20laboratory%20at,levels%20relevant%20to%20human%20exposure (20) Philip Morris International. (2022, May 17). Our 2025 Roadmap . https://www.pmi.com/sustainability/our-2025-roadmap (21) World Health Organization, & Organization, W. H. (2022). Tobacco: Poisoning Our Planet . World Health Organization. (22) Big Tobacco Found Guilty of Lying | Tobacco Stops With Me | OK TSET . (2021, November 18). Tobacco Stops With Me. https://stopswithme.com/exposing-big-tobacco/big-tobacco-found-guilty/#:%7E:text=Big%20Tobacco%20Guilty%20of%20Lying,about%20the%20dangers%20of%20smoking

By Anna Grace Hottinger Whether you are at the playground, outside of the store, on the side of a trail, or in our lakes and waterways, there will likely be a cigarette butt. Rarely does a day go by without spotting one, or many. Beyond their unappealing look, they are dangerous to the health and safety of everyone who shares this world. It’s been apparent for a long time that the waste created by tobacco products is not good for the environment. And unfortunately, the industry has always been well aware of the damage that tobacco waste can do to the environment. The tobacco industry started citing its awareness of cigarette butt litter in 1979. In an internal industry document uncovered in the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement, they stated that they needed to “…establish a policy related to ‘litter’. Without one we run the risk of drifting into another controversy, which is already active on the Federal and State levels.”1 As the document continues, it states that “Litter is a highly visible but relatively unimportant part of the solid waste issue.” The document continues to state that litter is a “high annoyance” issue and ignoring it would be a bad move in part of getting potential customers, but addressing it would also be opposing who they are. In all, they are trying to divert the issue of litter for company clout. This is only the beginning of the tobacco industry ignoring the detrimental effects of their products. Stating that litter is an annoyance issue and relatively unimportant was the first sign that while they were aware of the potential damage, they wanted to dull it down for possible buyers. Moving onto the 1990’s, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company (RJR) kicked off a “Beach Anti-Litter” program.2 The goal of the program was to raise awareness for proper litter disposal and proper disposal of cigarettes. While the initiative seemed good at first glance, when asked if RJR was admitting to their products having environmental harm, they responded with “No. Cigarette butts are not harmful to the environment, but all litter, including cigarette butts, needs to be disposed of properly. The materials contained in a cigarette filter are degradable”. This is false, as cigarette filters are made of cellulose acetate (plastic fibers) which can take up to ten years to decompose and turn into microplastics.3 These are just a few of the examples of the tobacco industry’s awareness of the damage that they are doing to the environment and their efforts to keep this information hidden from the general public. To this day, the tobacco industry continues to keep important information from consumers. New, electronic products like vapes and e-cigarettes are detrimental to the environment because of the heavy metals, nicotine salts, plastic, and more that leak into soil, waterways, and the environment. One of the worst parts about these newer products is that the tobacco industry left consumers with no guidance as to how to dispose of these products. Nicotine is classified as a hazardous waste and the batteries in e-cigarettes can be flammable and dangerous. To put it in perspective, when you buy a computer, which is hazardous waste, the company tells you how to properly dispose of them. Few if any e-cigarette companies include disposal instructions on their packaging. In summary, the tobacco industry has been well aware of the damage it is doing to the environment but has failed to take proper measures to mitigate the damage. Rather, they have told consumers not to worry and put money into campaigns to mitigate litter or environmental damage as a whole, instead of taking accountability for the damage they cause to the environment. Cigarettes make up approximately one-third of all collected litter.4 While reactive work like starting clean-up campaigns and funding litter clean-up organizations can help, the tobacco industry has taken the easy way out. They need to be held accountable for the harm they have caused to the environment. There are a few simple policy initiatives that can be taken to hold the industry accountable. These include sales restrictions, comprehensive smoking restrictions, hazardous waste or materials laws, and educational campaigns. All of these policy solutions aim to address the source of the problem of tobacco use, which in the long-term, is harmful to the environment. About the Author Anna Grace Hottinger (she/ her) is the Youth Advocacy and Community Outreach Intern at the Association for Nonsmokers-Minnesota, also a Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids Youth Ambassador. A majority of her work has been around youth education, peer-to-peer research, and political engagement. She is a sophomore at the University of New Mexico studying Community Health Education. Aside from tobacco prevention organizing, Anna Grace is also engaged in policy research and organizing around climate justice and education policy. In her free time you can find her advocating around climate change, walking her dog, reading or running 16 miles in the mountains for fun! References: (1) Litter: A Proposal for TI Policy. University of California San Francisco Industry documents library. https://www.industrydocuments.ucsf.edu/docs/#id=yzdk0016. Accessed September 1, 2022. (2) Beach Anti-Litter Program. Expansion of Daytona Beach Program. University of California San Francisco Industry documents library. https://www.industrydocuments.ucsf.edu/tobacco/docs/#id=lxfb0082. Accessed September 1, 2022. (3) Novotny TE, Slaughter E. Tobacco product waste: An environmental approach to reduce tobacco consumption. Current Environmental Health Reports . 2014;1(3):208-216. doi:10.1007/s40572-014-0016-x (4) 5 ways cigarette litter impacts the environment. Truth Initiative. https://truthinitiative.org/research-resources/harmful-effects-tobacco/5-ways-cigarette-litter-impacts-environment. Accessed September 1, 2022.

On August 8, 2023, the Richfield City Council voted 3-0 to pass an ordinance that prohibits the sale of all flavored commercial tobacco products, including menthol, and caps the number of tobacco licenses at four. It is the 11th city or county in Minnesota to completely ban flavors, following closely behind its neighbors Bloomington and Edina. The council heard from five testifiers in support of the ordinance at the August 8th meeting. Aisha Ibrahim, Minnesota Youth Council representative and Eagan Tobacco-Free Society member, spoke about her personal experience with secondhand smoke at school and urged the Council to consider the health of Richfield’s youth. American Heart Association advocate Mark Olson shared how he got involved in tobacco prevention after having a heart attack 16 years ago. In response to the pro-business arguments against the ordinance, Mark said, “I want kids to be able to live the American Dream…Without this ordinance, it’s going to set them up to not even be living to do that.” Councilmember Hayford Oleary dubbed this quote “a pretty perfect line” later in the meeting. Councilmember Hayford Oleary also read a statement from Councilmember Whalen, who could not attend the meeting. Whalen explained his rationale for supporting the ordinance, writing “…banning the sale of flavored tobacco products plus limiting tobacco licenses over time makes sense as a way to prioritize public health.” After voting to pass the ordinance, Mayor Supple and Councilmembers Hayford Oleary and Christensen repeatedly emphasized the importance of choosing public health. The Council also mentioned that the city will be removing tobacco products from its municipal liquor stores. “I do recognize that this does have an effect on small business owners, so I think that is something that we do have to acknowledge here,” noted Mayor Supple. “Richfield’s bold move to clear the market of all flavored tobacco products, including menthol, aims to create a healthier city for everyone by reducing tobacco-related health problems, preventing new users and protecting the well-being of young residents from a lifetime of nicotine addiction and its associated risk,” said Molly Schmidtke, Community Outreach Coordinator at ANSR. “Through this proactive stance, Richfield not only champions equity but also fosters the growth of a healthier, more resilient community. Thank you Richfield!” The ordinance takes effect on January 1, 2024. Thank you to all who played a part in this victory. It is a huge win for public health and tobacco-free environments!

With funding from the Minnesota Department of Health, ANSR created a new ‘Tools for Schools’ toolkit to help school staff prevent commercial tobacco and nicotine use among students. It contains a wealth of evidence-based prevention strategies for schools and includes:  tools for youth education, engagement, and advocacy; lesson plans from ANSR’s Tobacco 101 curriculum; lists of support programs and treatment options; guidance on support over suspension measures; and factsheets about flavored commercial tobacco products and e-cigarettes. The toolkit also highlights assistance that ANSR can provide directly. This includes (but is not limited to): newsletter drop-ins, social media posts, model school tobacco- and smoke-free policies, and staff and student presentations. The ANSR team is more than happy to assist school staff in implementing or sharing the information found in the toolkit more broadly.  “There is so much out there, with staff feeling overwhelmed with daily life in school and wanting to effectively address concerns using best practices,” said Katie Engman, program director at ANSR. “We heard from school staff that they wanted something boiled down, simple and easy to understand. We hope this tool will help.” ANSR invites its colleagues and school partners to use this resource in their work. Download the toolkit on the ANSR website, and contact Molly Schmidtke ( molly@ansrmn.org ) or Katie Engman, ( katie@ansrmn.org ) with any questions.

Since 1974, the Minnesota Prevention Resource Center , housed at ANSR, has hosted the annual Minnesota Prevention Program Sharing Conference to connect and engage prevention professionals around the state. The gathering is an opportunity for individuals from health departments, schools, nonprofit organizations and other groups involved in prevention work in Minnesota to come together, share ideas and learn from each other. This year, the conference took place at Cragun’s Resort on Gull Lake in Brainerd. The theme, “Support Connections. Build Prevention. Engage Communities,” focused on collaboration, expanding networks and supporting health and wellbeing through primary prevention. In total, 258 people registered for the conference and 22 organizations set up exhibition booths. Rebecca Slaby, executive director of Amazeworks, kicked off the first day with her keynote session, “Creating Communities of Belonging as a Key Prevention Strategy.” On day two, a panel of experts discussed the changing landscape of cannabis legislation and prevention in Minnesota. Fifty other speakers presented about their own prevention work and expertise in 26 breakout sessions across the two days. This includes three ANSR staff: Molly Schmidtke presented on the environmental impacts of tobacco product waste (left), Katie Engman presented on Benton County’s recent commercial tobacco ordinance and Elyse Levine Less presented on peer-to-peer vaping prevention strategies. All sessions were recorded to increase statewide access and will be available for registrants soon. A big thank you to everyone who made this year’s conference such a huge success. The 50th annual Minnesota Prevention Program Sharing Conference will be held on October 15-16, 2024 in St. Cloud. We hope to see you there! Contact madeline@ansrmn.org with any questions about the conference.

Give to the Max Day, Minnesota’s annual giving holiday, is on Thursday, November 16, 2023. Making a donation to ANSR on Give to the Max Day is a powerful way to stand up for the health of Minnesotans. Your contribution keeps ANSR steadfast in our commitment to reducing the harms of commercial tobacco and other drugs. Together, we can work to help enact local and statewide commercial tobacco prevention policies, educate our communities about the negative effects of smoking and other drug use and protect those in multiunit housing from secondhand smoke. We couldn’t do this work without generous contributions from supporters and public health champions like you. Please consider donating today! Donations can be made online using the button below or by sending a check to the ANSR office: 2395 University Ave W Suite 310, Saint Paul, MN 55114. From all of us at ANSR, thank you for helping us make Minnesota a healthier place to live, work and play!

The Minneapolis City Council passed a comprehensive amendment to the city’s tobacco ordinance on April 25, 2024. The amendment: prohibits price promotions and the redemption of coupons for all commercial tobacco and vaping products; sets a $15 minimum price on cigarettes and other commercial tobacco products, making it one of the highest in the nation; increases penalties for retailers who violate the ordinance; and ends the sampling loophole for new tobacco products shops. One-third of adult smokers use tobacco coupons or discounts. Higher commercial tobacco prices lead to reduced adult smoking rates, less youth initiation, and more quit attempts and calls to quitlines.  Minneapolis continues to be a leader in adopting strong commercial tobacco prevention policies. These changes will protect Minneapolis youth and residents of color from tobacco industry targeting, reduce the appeal of commercial tobacco products, and support those who are trying to quit using commercial tobacco. ANSR applauds the Council for voting unanimously in support of this ordinance and putting their residents’ health first. Read more about the ordinance on the City of Minneapolis website , including quotes from ordinance author Council Member Latrisha Vetaw and Mayor Jacob Frey. Thank you to everyone who emailed, called, testified, sent a letter of support, attended a council meeting, and/or spread the word about this ordinance. Your voice matters in creating important public health policy change!

Yesterday, the Saint Paul City Council named December 13, 2023 ‘Jeanne Weigum Day.’ ANSR staff, board members, community partners and friends filled the Council Chambers to celebrate Jeanne’s decades-long dedication to Saint Paul’s public health, neighborhoods and community. The resolution highlights many of Jeanne’s commercial tobacco prevention policy achievements in Saint Paul over the past five decades, including banning smoking at bars and restaurants, restricting menthol-flavored products and, most recently, prohibiting smoking in city parks.  Jeanne’s reach in the local community extends far beyond the commercial tobacco prevention sphere. The resolution honors her work as former president of the Friends of the Parks and Trails of Saint Paul and Ramsey County, as founder of the pet rescue and adoption nonprofit Pooches United With People (PUP), as a staunch opponent of billboards with the grassroots movement Scenic Saint Paul and as a community gardener in Saint Paul and her hometown of Mobridge, South Dakota. After Council President Brendmoen read the resolution, Jeanne shared about the many “roots” that keep her in Saint Paul. She also reflected on just how much the city has advanced over the past 50 years thanks to community organizers and councils past and present.  In true Jeanne fashion, her speech was both a statement of gratitude and a call to action for the Council. “The majority of the Council is leaving, but I’m not,” she said, meaning her advocacy work is far from over. Jeanne urged the Council to consider the negative ramifications of disposable e-cigarettes and a proposed digital billboard at I-94 and 280. She also reminded them about Nicotine-Free Generation policy, outfit change and all. Several councilmembers shared kind words about Jeanne after her remarks. Councilmember Noecker called Jeanne a “visionary,” saying “I think that so many advocates and organizers can learn so much from your example.” “There’s so much that you’ve done in this community, and I just want to say I am truly grateful for you as a citizen, as an advocate and as a friend,” said Councilmember Tolbert. “I look forward to the thing that you’re up to next.” Right after Jeanne’s recognition, the Council voted unanimously to remove tobacco vending machine licenses, reduce the number of Tobacco Shop licenses from 150 to 100 and reduce the number of Tobacco Product Shop licenses from 25 to 15. These actions will help reduce the availability of commercial tobacco and nicotine products within the city. Supporters gathered outside of the Chambers for photos, desserts and refreshments after the meeting. Thank you to all who came to celebrate Jeanne on this special day. Watch the council meeting here (begins at 5:30) and read the full resolution here .