MINNEAPOLIS - The Minneapolis City Council unanimously voted to raise the minimum age to buy tobacco from 18 to 21 Friday afternoon. The new ordinance will go into effect on October 1, 2018.
Minneapolis joins seven other Minnesota cities including Bloomington, Edina, Falcon Heights, North Mankato, Plymouth, Shoreview and St. Louis Park who have already increased the age to buy tobacco to 21.
Other states that have an age 21 minimum are California, Hawaii, Oregon, Maine and New Jersey.
In a written release Mayor Jacob Frey said, “Today kids in Minneapolis continued blazing a trail for change in Minneapolis and around our state,” said Mayor Jacob Frey. “Passing this ordinance marks a resounding victory for our kids’ health and a tipping point for a change in state law. Our city is joining a coalition fighting the tobacco lobby to reduce youth smoking.”
A coalition of local advocacy groups helped moved the ordinance through. The groups leading the way were Association for Nonsmokers-Minnesota, Northpoint Health and Wellness Center, and the Minneapolis Youth Congress.
