Tobacco use in Minnesota 2020

• In 2018, 15.1% of adults smoked. Nationally, the rate was 16.1%.1
• In 2017, 9.6% of high school students in Minnesota smoked cigarettes on at least one day in the past 30 days. Nationally, the rate was 8.8% in 2017.2,3

• In 2018, 5.0% of adults in Minnesota used e-cigarettes and 4.1% used smokeless tobacco.4
• In 2017, 19.2% of high school students in Minnesota used electronic vapor products on at least one day in the past 30 days.2
• In 2017, 6.0% of high school students in Minnesota used chewing tobacco, snuff or dip on at least one day in the past 30 days.2
• In 2017, 10.6% of high school students in Minnesota smoke cigars, cigarillos or little cigars on at least one day in the past 30 days.2

• Minnesota received $693 million (estimated) in revenue from tobacco settlement payments and taxes in fiscal year 2020.5
• Of this, the state allocated $15.4 million in state funds to tobacco prevention in fiscal year 2020, 29.1% of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s annual spending target.5
• Smoking-caused health care costs: $2.51 billion per year.5
• Smoking-caused losses in productivity: $1.54 billion per year.6

Tobacco taxes

• Minnesota is ranked 8th in the U.S. for its cigarette tax of $3.04 per pack (enacted January 2018), compared to the national average of $1.82. (The District of Columbia has the highest tax at $4.50 and Missouri has the lowest at 17 cents.)5-7
• Moist snuff containers weighing less than 1.2 ounces are taxed at the greater of 95% of the wholesale price or a minimum price equal to the cigarette tax at each container. Moist snuff containers weighing more than 1.2 ounces are taxed at the greater of 95% of the wholesale price or a minimum tax equal to the cigarette tax on each container multiplied by the number of ounces of moist snuff in the container, divided by 1.2 (container = smallest consumer-size can, package or other container that is marketed or packaged by an entity for separate sale to a retail purchaser).
• Premium cigars are taxed at 95% of the wholesale or 50 cents per cigar, whichever is less.
• All other tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, are taxed at 95% of the wholesale sales price.7,8

Clean indoor air ordinances

• Smoking is prohibited in all government workplaces (workplaces with two or fewer employees are exempt), private workplaces (workplaces with two or fewer employees are exempt), schools, childcare facilities, restaurants, bars, casinos/gaming establishments (tribal establishments are exempt), retail stores and recreational/cultural facilities.6
• E-cigarettes are included in the state’s definition of smoking.9

Licensing laws

• Retailers and wholesalers are required to obtain a license to sell tobacco products.7
• A license is required to sell e-cigarette products.9

Youth access laws

• In December 2019, the United States adopted a law raising the federal minimum age of sale of all tobacco products to 21, effective immediately.
•  Minors are prohibited from buying nicotine delivery products, including e-cigarettes.5
• Self-service sales are prohibited, except in adult-only facilties.7,8

Local tobacco laws

• St. Louis Park prohibits the sale of e-cigarettes.10
• In Minneapolis and St. Paul, the sale of flavored tobacco products is restricted to tobacco product shops. The sale of menthol flavored tobacco products is prohibited except in adult-only tobacco shops and liquor stores.10
• In Duluth, Falcon Heights, Hennepin County, and Lauderdale, the sale of flavored tobacco products, including menthol, is prohibited except in adult-only tobacco stores.10
• In Robbinsdale, Shoreview and St. Louis Park, the sale of flavored tobacco products is prohibited except in adult-only tobacco stores. Menthol, mint and wintergreen flavors are exempt from the restriction.10
• In Arden Hills, Edina, Golden Valley, Lilydale, and Mendota Heights, the sale of all flavored tobacco products is prohibited.10
• In Minneapolis, Robbinsdale and St. Paul, the minimum price for cigars (after coupons and discounts have been applied and before sales tax) is $2.60 for a single cigar, $5.20 for a 2-pack or “double” pack, $7.80 for a 3-pack and $10.40 for packs with four or more cigars.11-13
• Hennepin County prohibits the sale of cigars that cost less than $3 each.14
• Golden Valley, Rock County, and Rushford prohibit pharmacies from selling tobacco products.15

• The CDC estimates 46.5% of daily adult smokers in Minnesota quit smoking for one or more days in 2018.4
• In 2014, the Affordable Care Act required that Medicaid programs cover all tobacco cessation medications.8**
• Minnesota’s state quit line invests $3.69 per smoker, compared to the national average of $2.14.8
• Minnesota does not have a private insurance mandate provision for cessation.8

Updated August 2020

*National and state-level prevalence numbers reflect the most recent data available. This may differ across state fact sheets.

**The seven recommended cessation medications are NRT gum, NRT patch, NRT nasal spray, NRT inhaler, NRT lozenge, Varenicline (Chantix) and Bupropion (Zyban).

Fiore MC, et al. Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence: 2008 Update. Clinical Practice Guideline. Rockville, MD: US Department of Health and Human Services. Public Health Service: May 2008.

1. CDC, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2018.

2. Minnesota Youth Tobacco Survey, 2017.

3. CDC, Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, 2017.

4. CDC, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, State Tobacco Activities Tracking and Evaluation System, 2020.

5. Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Broken Promises to Our Children: a State-by-State Look at the 1998 State Tobacco Settlement 21 Years Later FY2020, 2019.

6. Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Toll of Tobacco in the United States.

7. American Lung Association, State Legislated Actions on Tobacco Issues (SLATI).

8. American Lung Association, State of Tobacco Control, 2020.

9. Public Health Law Center. U.S. E-Cigarette Regulation: 50-State Review. http://www.publichealthlawcenter.org/resources/us-e-cigarette-regulations-50-state-review. Accessed.

10. Truth Initiative, Local restrictions on flavored tobacco and e-cigarette products. https://truthinitiative.org/research-resources/emerging-tobacco-products/local-restrictions-flavored-tobacco-and-e-cigarette.

11. City of Minneapolis. Complying with Minneapolis' Tobacco Flavor and Pricing Requirements. http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/www/groups/public/@regservices/documents/webcontent/wcms1p-150533.pdf. Published 2016. Accessed February 9, 2017.

12. City of Robbinsdale. Complying with Robbinsdale's Tobacco Product Requirements. http://www.robbinsdalemn.com/home/showdocument?id=10101. Accessed.

13. St. Paul, Minnesota - Code of Ordinances. Title XXIX - Licenses, Chapter 324 - Tobacco, Section 324.07 - Sales prohibited. https://library.municode.com/mn/st._paul/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIILECO_TITXXIXLI_CH324TO_S324.07SAPR. Accessed.

14. Hennepin County, Minnesota. Ordinance 21 - effective Jan. 1, 2020. https://www.hennepin.us/your-government/ordinances/ordinance-21-january-2020. Accessed.

15. Americans Nonsmokers' Rights Foundation. Municipalities with Tobacco-Free Pharmacy Laws. http://no-smoke.org/pdf/pharmacies.pdf. Accessed.