Kandiyohi County ————————— Drug Free Communities Coalition

Today, Representative Jenifer Loon and Senator Julie Rosen introduced the Cigarette Uniformity Act (HF 0743, SF 0493) to close the loophole that has allowed so-called “little cigars” to skirt the regulations placed on cigarettes.

Little cigars look and smoke like regular cigarettes but because they have tobacco in the rolling paper, they are misclassified in law as an “other tobacco product” and are not regulated as cigarettes. They are every bit as dangerous as cigarettes – and every bit as addictive. Because of the loophole, little cigars have long avoided proper taxation and regulation. 

This bill will ensure proper compliance with state law and help keep cheap tobacco products out of the hands of kids. The low price point of little cigars combined with kid-friendly flavors such as strawberry, chocolate and grape make little cigars attractive to kids. In Minnesota, a pack of little cigars costs under $2 compared to regular cigarettes, which average about $5.50 per pack.   

The Cigarette Uniformity Act broadens the statutory definition of cigarettes to include little cigars. This change means little cigars:

• will be subject to the same taxes and fees as cigarettes,
• will be required to have Department of Revenue tax stamps to ensure tax compliance and reduce tax evasion, and
• will be subject to the state’s minimum price law.

The Star Tribune recently published a compelling editorial on little cigars that sums it up perfectly.

“Little cigars” are no little matter. And cheap tobacco is not good for any community. We need to ensure little cigars are classified as what they really are – cheap cigarettes. Please stay tuned for more information on this bill and be prepared to take action.

SPRING IS nearly upon us and although it is often seen as a time for warmer

weather and school concluding, we must also think about the dangers. With spring

 

Minn. Legislature prepares to ban synthetic pot
ERIC ROPER, Star Tribune

The House recently passed its version of the FY 2011 Continuing Resolution to fund the federal government for the rest of this fiscal year. The House-passed CR cuts the Drug Free Communities program by $9.5 million, from $95 million to $85.5 million. If this cut becomes a reality, it means there will only be enough funding to support 7 new grants from the current grant solicitation that closes on March 18. The Senate has not yet passed its version of the CR, so there is still time to weigh in to try to get this money restored. If you haven’t already, please respond to CADCA’s legislative alert as soon as possible and mobilize others to do the same.

Funding for the program in the FY 2011 CR needs to be restored to the FY 2010 appropriated level of $95 million to allow at least 75 new grants to be awarded in this current grant year.

The DFC program does not warrant a cut. The national evaluation of the program, conducted by ICF International, found that DFC coalitions have reduced marijuana, alcohol and tobacco use to levels lower than the national average while simultaneously increasing the perceptions of risk for these substances at statistically significant rates.

It is critical that the field contacts its members of Congress to ensure that funding for the DFC program is restored in the FY 2011 CR.