The Otter Tail County Board of Commissioners are moving forward with plans to enact new regulations on tobacco and vapor retailers. These regulations could, among other things, include raising the age to purchase tobacco and vapor products to 21 and restrictions on where flavored products can be sold.
(Update, 08/07/18) A draft ordinance for raising the legal purchase age to 21 is available here. Although no similar draft is available for flavors or licensing, CASAA is encouraging our members to continue reaching out to lawmakers and urging them to oppose heavy-handed regulation.
A public hearing on these proposals is being scheduled for
Tuesday, August 14, 2018
8:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Otter Tail County Government Services Center
(Otter Tail Lake Room)
515 Fir Ave. W
Fergus Falls, MN 56537
Please make plans to attend this hearing. Even if you do not plan to speak, your presence is important as it demonstrates the large numbers of people affected by this issue.
In advance of the hearing, please take a moment to send a message to Otter Tail County commissioners urging them to reject any laws that limit adult access to effective and enjoyable low-risk alternatives to smoking.
Take Action – Send a Message
If you plan to present testimony at the hearing, please take a moment to review some of CASAA’s materials on various issues that may be part of the proposal (we will update this alert as proposed language for Otter Tail Co.’s bill is released).
Flavor Bans
- In Minnesota the most popular laws affecting flavored tobacco and vapor products focus on regulating where these products can be sold. While this is certainly not a ban, limiting the sale of flavored THR products to “adult-only establishments” effectively hides these smoke-free alternatives from the people who need to see them the most–smokers.
- When framing your comments in opposition to flavors regulation, be sure to focus on the fact that smokers need to be aware of the alternatives available to them and this needs to happen at the point of sale they are most accustomed to–the same places they buy combustible tobacco products.
- CASAA’s position statement on Tobacco 21 (click here)
- CASAA testimony to Detroit Lakes, MN Tobacco 21 (click here)
- The linked document (here) consists of talking points addressing indoor use bans. But these points are easily adapted to any type of place ban that treats vaping just like smoking.
