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2 <br />●Creating two license categories: one for tobacco-only retailers (stores that derive 90% of their <br />total revenue from tobacco and tobacco related products) and one for stores that sell tobacco <br />as well as other products, including gas stations, convenience stores, grocery stores. Then, <br />setting a separate cap on the total number of each type of license. Any prospective tobacco or <br />e-cigarette retailer in excess of the relevant cap would be required to join a waiting list until an <br />existing license becomes available. <br />How have Minnesota communities approached capping the number of <br />tobacco licenses? <br />A number of Minnesota communities have used license capping as a way to address the impact of <br />commercial tobacco. Bloomington, which currently has more than 50 tobacco licenses, set a cap of <br />zero licenses. Through attrition, the city will eventually get down to zero, though this will likely take <br />decades. <br />Golden Valley capped their licenses at 8. At the time, they had 14 licenses. Through attrition, the <br />city will get down to 8 licenses. They arrived at the number 8 by setting a standard of having one <br />tobacco license per 2500 residents in their community. <br />Saint Paul created two classifications of licenses to sell tobacco. The total cap on the number of <br />Tobacco Shop licenses is 150, compared to the 190 licenses in operation in St. Paul today. The <br />number of Tobacco Products Shops licenses is capped at 25, compared to the 39 in operation today. <br />St. Paul will reach these license numbers through attrition and new licenses can be given only after <br />they fall below these caps. <br />Is capping the number of tobacco licenses an effective tobacco prevention <br />strategy? <br />Yes. The location and density of commercial tobacco-related product retailers influences <br />tobacco-related product use among residents living in those communities. Research shows that youth <br />who live or attend school in neighborhoods with the highest density of tobacco outlets or retail <br />tobacco adver tising have higher smoking rates compared to youth who live or attend school in <br />neighborhoods with fewer or no tobacco outlets.Compounding existing health disparities, tobacco1 <br />retailers are often concentrated in communities at higher risk for adverse health outcomes. Further, <br />tobacco manufacturer spending on advertising, marketing and price is directed at youth and young <br />adults. The majority of smokers start young, youth get tobacco from older peers, and exposure to <br />nicotine is particularly dangerous to the adolescent brain. Therefore, the purpose of this ordinance is <br />1 Schleicher, N. C., Johnson, T. O., Fortmann, S. P.,& Henriksen, L. (2016). Tobacco outlet density near home and school: Associations with <br />smoking and norms among US teens.Preventive medicine,91, 287–293. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2016.08.027