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<br /> <br /> <br />REQUEST FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION <br /> <br /> <br />Meeting Date: September 24, 2019 <br /> <br /> <br />Ordinance Change – Amending the Tobacco Ordinance to Restrict Sales to Under Age 21 <br /> <br /> <br />OVERVIEW: <br /> <br />In front of you this evening is a draft of revisions to the city’s Tobacco Ordinance, raising the age from <br />18 to 21 to purchase tobacco products within the City of St. Anthony. This is the second of three <br />readings required; the final reading is scheduled for October 8, 2019. If approved on October 8, 2019, <br />the emended ordinance would subsequently be published and take affect at that time. <br />In recent years, a number of cities and counties in Minnesota have raised the minimum age to purchase <br />tobacco to 21. The intention of this approach is to increase the age gap between kids and those who can <br />legally buy tobacco, to help keep tobacco out of the school environment and reduce early adoption of <br />tobacco use among young people. <br />Through resources at Hennepin County Public Health, staff was connected with the Public Health Law <br />Center, who provided guidance to staff on the proposed updates in the Tobacco Ordinance. The entire <br />ordinance was reviewed to ensure it meets with current standards. The major areas of enhancement are: <br />• Increasing the minimum age to purchase tobacco from age 18 to 21 <br />• Enhancing language to ensure that vaping forms of tobacco are clearly identified <br />• Instituting a fine structure for retailers that fail compliance checks <br />On August 8, 2019, letters were sent to the city’s tobacco licensed retailers inviting them to an <br />information meeting with staff on Wednesday, September 4, 2019 to answer any questions and listen <br />to any concerns. No comments have been received from any retailers. The current tobacco license <br />holders are Cub Foods, Holiday, Murphy Service Center, Saint Anthony Village Wine & Spirits <br />(Marketplace & Silver Lake Village), Speedway, and Walgreens. <br />Resources for the retailers will be provided with resources from staff and the Association for <br />Nonsmokers-MN (which currently work with the St. Anthony Police Department on compliance <br />checks) to assist with the transition and maintain compliance with the new ordinance. <br />Attached are letters of support received from the American Heart Association and Hennepin County <br />Public Health. <br /> <br />Attachments: Red-lined ordinance, 8/8/19 sample letter to retailers, 9/4/19 flyer for retailers and <br />9/18/19 letter from the American Heart Association. <br />33