Loopholes in Minnesota Anti-tobacco Legislation to be closed

Published on May 3, 2010 7:33 AM

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Regardless of the fact that adverts of cigarettes were banned many years ago, tobacco giants still fork billions of dollars on marketing their newest tobacco creations.

According to Marry Smith communications manager for ClearWay Minnesota charity, tobacco industry spends $200 million each year to promote tobacco products across the state.

The companies still apply traditional promotional tools, like distributing discount coupons and sending gifts to loyal smokers. Nevertheless, Smith said that some tobacconists apply completely new ways to raise public awareness about their new products, some of which totally differ from traditional tobacco items. Such novelties are named smokeless tobacco, among which are snuff, and snus.

Smokeless tobacco is a growing segment in U.S. tobacco market and all tobacco stores throughout the country, including the ones in Minnesota, sell a large variety of such products. As regards Snus, it originates from Sweden and is still unknown for the majority of American tobacco users.

One company recently initiated a nationwide marketing campaign, with key slogan ‘Boldly go anywhere’, advertising snus as a product that can give a nicotine shot in any place, from bars to office centers and even classrooms.

ClearWay Minnesota spokesperson said that other new smokeless tobacco products, which concern public health groups, are currently on the test-markets in three locations across the nation, but will hit Minnesota shops soon. The biggest concern is that these products resemble candies and toothpicks, but deliver a several times higher doze of nicotine than usual cigarettes, and thus can be especially dangerous for teenagers.

ClearWay Minnesota Foundation published a research several months ago about the dangers and health risks related to the consumption of smokeless tobacco products introduced to the market in the recent years.

Ms . Smith admitted that the foundation is currently urging local lawmakers to amend the existing anti-tobacco regulations in order to save the teenagers from the risks related to starting consuming smokeless tobacco.

According to ClearWay Minnesota, any product containing any form of tobacco should be included in the youth access laws, in order to prevent the teens from using bying and using these products. They also try to convince the legislators to include smokeless tobacco in the list of tobacco products allowed for sales in Minnesota.

On the current moment of time, Minnesota legislation doesn’t cover smokeless tobacco, so local public health groups insist on amending that legislation.

A coalition of Minnesota anti-tobacco advocates even drafted a bill, The 2010 Tobacco Modernization Act, which would include all tobacco items, including the smokeless and dissolvable tobacco.

Moreover, the Act also contains a provision to ban the public usage of the so-called electronic cigarettes, devices, which resemble conventional cigarettes. The Act will prohibit the users of these devices from using them in all public places across the state, where consumption of other forms of tobacco, such as cigarettes and cigars is banned.