Tobacco-Free Alliance In The News

Findings from the 2023 Minnesota Youth Tobacco Survey were released on July 2, 2024. Elyse Less, TFA's executive director, is quoted in the above article on the tobacco industry's use of enticing flavors to lure teens into vaping and addictive nicotine to keep them hooked.

The Tobacco-Free Alliance is empowering youth to protect their communities from the harms of commercial tobacco.

Tobacco-Free Alliance youth groups are profiled by MDH for their tobacco prevention advocacy work.

Tobacco-Free Alliance's Elyse Levine Less comments on how Minnesota teens underestimate the risk of nicotine addiction.

TFA’s Executive Director, Elyse Less, chatted with RE@L about TFA’s youth tobacco prevention work. Check out the full blod post

Communities in Minnesota are taking action to protect youth from the rising epidemic of e-cigarette use, with Hastings becoming the latest city to raise the tobacco sales age to 21 on March 2, 2020. This move follows Lakeville, which adopted the measure less than an hour earlier, marking the 67th community in the state to implement this safeguard. Council Member Lori Braucks highlights the concerning impact on young people, describing the advertising tactics as predatory and emphasizing the need to counter the surge in teen vaping. As e-cigarette use continues to increase among youth, residents and high school students testify about the importance of this ordinance in preventing access and addressing addiction, signaling a commitment to prioritizing health over tobacco industry profits.

TFA’s student group ALMAS helped pass this important point of sale policy.

Elyse Levine Less, TFA’s Executive Director, testified before the House Health Finance and Policy Committee to advocate for any Juul lawsuit settlement funds to go towards tobacco prevention.

Elyse Levine Less, TFA’s Executive Director, comments on the 2020 Minnesota Youth Tobacco Survey in the above two articles.

On March 5, 2024, Tobacco-Free Alliance, many of our student groups, and hundreds of advocates from across Minnesota, convened at the Minnesotans for a Smoke Free Generation Coalition Day at the Capitol. Together, we advocated for groundbreaking legislation aimed at ending the sale of flavored tobacco products in the state, a crucial step in protecting public health and reducing youth tobacco use.

On November 6th, 2023, Eagan High School's TFS student group presented to the Mayor and Eagan City Council to petition to prohibit the sale of flavored tobacco products.

Elyse Levine Less, Executive Director of Tobacco-Free Alliance speaks on how the Minnesota JUUL lawsuit has brought awareness to the issue of teen vaping and vaping products, but there is still a lot of work to be done.

Students attend the press conference held by the Minnesota Attorney General's office and Governor Walz to celebrate the Juul settlement.

Melissa Mady, TFA’s Community Engagement Specialist, discusses vaping harms.

The Biden Administration's decision to ban menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars is praised by the Tobacco-Free Alliance for addressing health disparities, especially among Black Minnesotans. Menthol, a major tobacco industry flavor, has disproportionately affected BIPOC communities, the LGBTQ community, and youth. Urging immediate action, the TFA calls on state and local leaders to cease the sale of menthol and flavored tobacco products. The FDA's announcement triggers a year-long rule-making process, emphasizing the need for strong policies to combat tobacco's impact on marginalized groups.

Eagan joins the movement to raise the tobacco sales age to 21, passing the Tobacco 21 ordinance with unanimous support on May 7, 2020. Residents express gratitude to the Eagan City Council for its commitment to the city and for holding tobacco retailers accountable, aiming to protect youth from accessing harmful products. Amidst a rising epidemic of e-cigarette use among Minnesota's teens, communities are taking local action, responding to alarming survey results that reveal a 54 percent increase in 11th graders vaping in the past 30 days since 2016. Eagan residents, including a pediatrician and a 7th-grade student, commend the council's dedication to keeping youth safe and healthy through this preventative measure.

In 2018, the Mendota Heights City Council took proactive measures to safeguard youth from tobacco-related harms by unanimously raising the tobacco sales age from 18 to 21 and extending flavored tobacco restrictions to include menthol. Council members emphasized the urgent need to address the rampant issue, with the discreet nature of modern tobacco products being a growing concern. The decision, supported by 60 community members, including students, advocates, and a physician, garnered praise for its dedication to protecting youth. The move comes in response to alarming national and state-level statistics, including a 50 percent increase in youth e-cigarette use in Minnesota over the past three years, highlighting the importance of preventing addiction through the raised age limit.

A new study shows that many Minnesota teens who vape are struggling with nicotine addiction. Elyse Levine Less, Executive Director of the Tobacco-Free Alliance, warns about the dangers of flavored tobacco products and the difficulty of quitting. Fortunately, resources are available to help teens recover from nicotine addiction.

Congratulations to ALMAS, one of TFA’s long-time community partners on this honor!