04-24-2019 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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STAFF REPORT TO: Mayor Keis and Members of the City Council FROM: Heidi Heller, City Clerk DATE: April 24, 2019 RE: Proposed Ordinance 838, Amending Chapter 802 to Raise the Legal Age to 21 to Purchase Tobacco and Tobacco Products BACKGROUND: At the Council Workshop on Wednesday, March 13th the City Council discussed the possibility of adopting a Tobacco 21 Ordinance in Little Canada. Representatives from the Association for Nonsmokers-Minnesota (ANSR) attended the workshop and provided background information on tobacco industry trends and the status of proposed legislation at the Minnesota Senate and House of Representatives. As of April 2, 2019, 31 Minnesota cities and counties have raised their tobacco age to 21. Seventeen of the cities are in Hennepin and Ramsey Counties, including the adjacent cities of Roseville and Shoreview, along with Arden Hills as of a few weeks ago. After learning that many metro municipalities have adopted Tobacco 21 Ordinances and it appears unlikely that the proposed state legislation will pass this year, the City Council directed staff to prepare a draft amendment to City Code Chapter 802 to raise the age to 21 to purchase tobacco and tobacco products in Little Canada. Below is some information that was discussed at the March Workshop: • According to the Minnesota Department of Health’s 2017 Minnesota Youth Tobacco survey, youth tobacco use has increased for the first time in 17 years. This is largely due to e-cigarettes. • 95% of current adult smokers started before they were 21 • About 59% of 18-19-year-olds have been asked to buy cigarettes for someone younger. • Smoking causes over $3.2 billion in excess medical costs in Minnesota annually ($262.7 million in Ramsey County). • According to a report from Minnesota Medicine, increasing the purchase age from 18 to 21 for tobacco could prevent 30,000 youth from becoming smokers within the next 15 years. • It’s estimated that 18-20-year-olds make up roughly 2-4% of the tobacco market so retailers should not see a large loss from tobacco sales. Little Canada currently has seven tobacco licenses issued. City Code Chapter 802 allows an unlimited number of General Sales & Display licenses (issued to businesses where tobacco sales are an accessory use to the primary business, such as a gas station), and two Tobacco Store licenses (a business that receives 90% of its revenue from tobacco and related products). Little Canada appears to be a popular location for tobacco sales as staff receives a few calls every year from people wanting to open additional tobacco and hookah stores.