Tobacco use in Minnesota 2023

• In 2022, 13.0% of adults in Minnesota smoked. Nationally, adult smoking prevalence was 14.0%.¹
• In 2020, 3.2% of high school students in Minnesota smoked cigarettes on at least one day in the past 30 days.²

• In 2022, 6.9% of adults in Minnesota used e-cigarettes. Nationally, adult e-cigarette use prevalence was 7.7%.¹
• In 2022, 3.4% of adults in Minnesota used smokeless tobacco every day or some days. Nationally, adult smokeless tobacco use prevalence was 3.4% ¹
• In 2020, 19.3% of high school students in Minnesota used electronic vapor products on at least one day in the past 30 days.²
• In 2020, 1.3% of high school students in Minnesota used chewing tobacco, snuff or dip on at least one day in the past 30 days.²
• In 2020, 3.3% 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 $692.6 million (estimated) in revenue from tobacco settlement payments and taxes in fiscal year 2022.⁵
• Of this, the state allocated $11.7 million in state funds to tobacco prevention in fiscal year 2021, 22.1% of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s annual spending target.⁵
• Smoking-caused health care costs: $2.92 billion per year.⁵
• Smoking-caused losses in productivity: $5.4 billion per year.⁶

Tobacco taxes

• Minnesota is ranked 10th in the U.S. for its cigarette tax of $3.04 per pack (enacted January 2018), compared to the national average of $1.91. (New York has the highest tax at $5.35 and Missouri has the lowest at 17 cents.)^5-7
• Moist snuff: 95% or $3.04/container weighing not more than 1.2 ounces, the same tax is proportionately assessed on containers weighing more than 1.2 ounces;
• 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.⁷
• Self-service displays and sales are prohibited, except in adult-only facilties.^7,8
• Delivery sales occurring after December 31, 2021 by an out-of-state retailer must file a statement with the Department of Revenue.⁹

Local tobacco laws

• Bloomington will not issue any new tobacco licenses in the future and will eliminate licenses of stores with tobacco licenses when they close, with a goal of ending all tobacco sales through attrition.¹⁰
• Brown’s Valley, St. Louis Park, Traverse County, and Wheaton prohibit the sale of all e-cigarettes.¹¹
• 29 localities in Minnesota have laws that restrict the sale of flavored tobacco products, with variances for comprehensive laws and exemptions for flavors, types of tobacco products, and retailers.¹¹
• 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.^12-14
• Dilworth set a minimum price and pack for cigars of at least packs of five and cost a minimum of $15 (does not prohibit the sale of single cigars of at least $4).¹⁷
• Hennepin County prohibits the sale of cigars that cost less than $3 each.¹⁸
• Golden Valley, Renville County, Rock County, and Rushford prohibit the sale of tobacco products in pharmacies.¹⁶

• The CDC estimates 44.9% of daily adult smokers in Minnesota quit smoking for one or more days in 2019.⁴
• In 2014, the Affordable Care Act required that Medicaid programs cover all tobacco cessation medications.^8**
• Minnesota’s state quit line invests $5.46 per smoker, compared to the national median of $2.37.⁸
• Minnesota does not have a private insurance mandate provision for cessation.⁸

Updated June 2023

* The datasets for both adults and youth prevalence were used to make direct comparisons at the state and national levels. National prevalence reported here may differ from what is reported in our national-level fact sheets. The numbers here also reflect the most recent data available. Dates of available data 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, 2022.

2.         Minnesota Youth Tobacco Survey, 2021.

3.         CDC, Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, 2021.

4.         CDC, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, State Tobacco Activities Tracking and Evaluation System, 2023.

5.         Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Broken Promises to Our Children: a State-by-State Look at the 1998 State Tobacco Settlement 24 Years Later FY2023, 2023.

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, 2023.

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 October 4th, 2023.

10.       Bloomington. Tobacco ordinances. https://www.bloomingtonmn.gov/ph/tobacco-ordinances. Published 2021. Accessed October 4th, 2023.

11.       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. Accessed October 4th, 2023.

12.       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 October 4th, 2023.

13.       City of Robbinsdale. Complying with Robbinsdale's Tobacco Product Requirements. http://www.robbinsdalemn.com/home/showdocument?id=10101. Accessed October 4th, 2023.

14.       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 October 4th, 2023.

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

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

17.       Dilworth Tobacco and E-Cigarette Chapter. Chapter 112. (2015)

18.       Retail Tobacco Sales. Chapter 21. Section 7. (2019). https://www.hennepin.us/your-government/ordinances/ordinance-21