The price of a pack of cigarettes in Minneapolis will soon cost around twice as much for some.
The Minneapolis City Council formally approved an amendment to the city’s commercial tobacco ordinance on Thursday.
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Most notably, it sets a $15 minimum price for packs of cigarettes, cigars, loose tobacco and snuff, but it also ends price discounts and coupons for the products, closes sampling loopholes and increases penalties for violations of the ordinance. The city says that minimum price will be one of the most expensive in the country when it takes effect upon being signed by the mayor.
Data cited by the city says every 10% price increase for cigarettes reduces adult smoking by 3-5% and youth smoking by 6-7%.
“These changes will protect youth and communities of color from tobacco industry targeting,” Council Member LaTrisha Vetaw said. “Tobacco is still the leading cause of death, and I am proud that our city is taking this important public health step.”
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey supported the amendment and praised Vetaw for being “a tireless public health advocate in Minneapolis for years.”
The city has taken several steps throughout the year to curb smoking, dating as far back as 2004 when it was one of the first cities in the state to ban smoking in most public places.
However, those actions also impact businesses.
Eddy Merlin, who works at Smoker Friendly in Minneapolis, told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS last week, “We’ve lost a lot of business here because of that.”
