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About ClearWay MinnesotaSM

Home» About ClearWay MinnesotaSM

About ClearWay MinnesotaSM

The mission of ClearWay Minnesota is to enhance life in Minnesota by reducing tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke through research, action and collaboration. We were created in 1998 and entrusted with overseeing 3 percent of the state’s tobacco settlement funds. We operate under the ongoing jurisdiction of the Ramsey County District Court.
We use our portion of the settlement to help Minnesotans quit smoking and tobacco  use,
and to fund tobacco-related research, programs and initiatives around the state. We work to raise people’s awareness of the dangers of tobacco and to make Minnesota a healthier place.

2015: The Minnesota adult smoking rate has fallen to 14.4 percent – the lowest in history

Our History

In 1994, the state of Minnesota joined with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota to bring a lawsuit against the tobacco companies. The suit accused the industry of deceiving Minnesotans about the harmful nature of their products. The case uncovered tens of thousands of secret documents revealing what the tobacco companies had hidden about the link between cigarettes and cancer, the addictiveness of nicotine and other inherent dangers of tobacco.
In May 1998, the tobacco companies settled, with the state receiving $6.1 billion in a settlement agreement and Blue Cross receiving $469 million. In August of that same year, the Ramsey County District Court approved the state’s plan to administer 3 percent of the settlement through a new independent nonprofit tobacco control organization: ClearWay Minnesota.

Milestones

May 1998

ClearWay Minnesota is established.
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September 1998

Our Board holds their first meeting, opened by honorary co-chairs Dr. C. Everett Koop and Dr. David Kessler.
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April 1999

Field work begins for the first Minnesota Adult Tobacco Study (MATS), examining tobacco-related behaviors and perceptions.
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August 2000

Moose Lake becomes the first Minnesota community to go smoke-free.
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April 2001

Our first TV ad airs.
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MAY 2001

We launch QUITPLAN® Services, providing quit-smoking services to Minnesotans free of charge.
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MAY 2005

Our Leadership Institute for diverse communities convenes for the first time.
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August 2006

We introduce a new statewide call center that will quickly route any Minnesotan to quit-smoking help.
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January 2007

The number of Minnesotans who used QUITPLAN Services to quit passes the 10,000 mark.
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MAY 2007

The Freedom to Breathe Act, a strong statewide smoke-free law, is passed by the Minnesota Legislature and signed into law by Governor Tim Pawlenty.
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OCTOBER 2008

Dr. C. Everett Koop returns to Minnesota to celebrate our 10th anniversary.
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NOVEMBER 2008

A Minnesota woman who quit smoking wins $5,000 in our quit-smoking contest, The QuitCash ChallengeTM
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February 2011

A new Minnesota Adult Tobacco Survey finds that Minnesota's adult smoking rate has fallen to 16.1 percent - the lowest in history.
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November 2011

A Mayo Clinic study, funded by ClearWay Minnesota, finds substantial decreases in heart attacks after smoke-free policies took effect.
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November 2012

ClearWay Minnesota research finds that tobacco price increases are the largest driver of smoking declines in Minnesota.
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July 2013

A $1.60 cigarette price increase takes effect across the state.
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March 2014

QUITPLAN Services launches new program options to help Minnesotans quit.
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July 2014

A new law prohibiting smoking in foster homes and restricting e-cigarette sales and use takes effect.
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January 2015

The Minnesota Adult Tobacco Survey (2014) finds smoking prevalence in Minnesota has fallen to 14.4 percent.
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