Group Urges Woodbury Sen. Kent to Raise Tobacco Tax

Press release

Woodbury residents Jacy Walters and Dave Olsen joined hundreds of Minnesotans in St. Paul last week for a rally asking legislators to raise the price of tobacco.

While at the Capitol, they met with Senator Susan Kent (D-Woodbury) to encourage her to support raising the tobacco tax.

The Raise it for Health (RIFH) coalition, more than 30 of Minnesota’s leading health and nonprofit organizations, hosted the rally. RIFH members share the goal of increasing the price of tobacco, as it is the single biggest influencer of encouraging smokers to quit and keeping kids from starting to smoke.

“Our young people still smoke at disproportionately high rates, despite knowing the dangers this poses to their health,” Governor Mark Dayton told the group (photo attached). Dayton included an increase in the tobacco tax in his proposed budget. “Raising the tax on cigarettes will help keep them out of kids’ hands, saving thousands from a lifetime of addiction.”

A $1.50 per pack increase in the tobacco tax would prevent 47,700 Minnesota kids from becoming addicted adults, help 36,600 Minnesotans quit and save 27,700 Minnesotans from premature smoking-related deaths.

The Minnesota House voted to increase the cigarette tax by $1.60 this week, by passing the House Tax Omnibus bill. The Senate will consider their version of the tax bill in coming weeks.

“We thank Governor Dayton and our legislative leaders for taking steps to encourage adults to quit smoking and keeping kids from starting,” said Molly Moilanen, RIFH co-chair and Director of Public Affairs at ClearWay Minnesota. “The public is with you. A majority of Minnesotans support increasing the tax on cigarettes by $1.50 per pack. We stand ready to do whatever we can to help smokers quit and prevent our youth from smoking.”

Raise it for Health partners include: AARP Minnesota, Allina Health, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Heart Association, American Lung Association in Minnesota, Association for Minnesota Counties, Association for Nonsmokers – MN, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, CentraCare Health System, Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, ClearWay Minnesota, Courage Center, Four Corners Partnership, HealthEast Care System, HealthPartners, LAAMPP Institute, Local Public Health Association, Mayo Clinic, Medica, Metro-MN Oncology Nursing Society, Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians, Minnesota Cancer Alliance, Minnesota Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Minnesota Comprehensive Health Association, Minnesota Council of Health Plans, Minnesota Medical Association, Minnesota Public Health Association, Park Nicollet Health Services, PartnerSHIP 4 Health, School Nurse Organization of Minnesota, Service Employees International Union Healthcare Minnesota, Southwest Community Health Improvement Program, and Twin Cities Medical Society.