Yesterday, the St. Paul City Council voted 6-1 to dramatically limit the places where menthol tobacco products can be sold. Mayor Chris Coleman is expected to sign the ordinance.

This development comes after weeks of debate, during which Council Members examined all the implications a new menthol policy would have. The final ordinance, which will take effect in November of 2018, takes menthol tobacco products out of kid-friendly stores, limiting their sale to liquor stores and adult-only tobacco stores.

In the months leading up to the City Council’s consideration of this policy, Beautiful Lie, Ugly Truth, a campaign coordinated by the Association for Nonsmokers-Minnesota (ANSR-MN) and supported by Minnesotans for a Smoke-Free Generation, helped educate about the role menthol plays in creating and sustaining tobacco addiction, especially among young people, African Americans and other specific communities. As in Minneapolis, which passed a similar policy in August, the push to pass the new ordinance was led by members of the community, and successfully countered a highly organized opposition campaign financed by the tobacco industry.

The following is a statement from Molly Moilanen, our Director of Public Affairs and co-chair of the Minnesotans for a Smoke-Free Generation coalition:

“We thank the members of the St. Paul City Council for taking this step to protect our young people from menthol tobacco. Menthol tobacco is marketed to women, African Americans, Latinos, the LGBTQ community and young people, and as a result those groups are more likely to smoke menthol. The tobacco industry knows that menthol masks the harshness of their deadly product, making it easier to start and harder to quit. Thank you, St. Paul leaders, for listening to your community and taking steps to ensure a healthier future generation by restricting access to menthol-flavored products.”

On Saturday night, Reclaiming Sacred Tobacco was named Best Topical Documentary of the year at the Upper Midwest Emmy awards gala in Bloomington. A collaboration between ClearWay Minnesota and Twin Cities PBS, the program explores tobacco use by American Indians in Minnesota.

Reclaiming Sacred Tobacco features American Indian Minnesotans discussing traditional tobacco practices, and how the commercial tobacco industry corrupted those practices into harmful behaviors like cigarette smoking. In Minnesota today, 59 percent of American Indians smoke, compared to 14 percent of the general population. Reclaiming Sacred Tobacco shows how restoring traditional ways can move people away from cigarette smoking and toward healthier living.

Accepting the award was Dakota/Diné producer Leya Hale of Twin Cities PBS, who directed the film with guidance from Anishinaabe and Dakota elders. “This project was unique, because it looks at the tobacco issue from within American Indian communities, rather than outside,” said Leya. “We are so grateful to the dozens of participants who agreed to be interviewed and share their stories with us.”

The film is informing diverse audiences about the differences between traditional and commercial tobacco use. American Indian health advocates are using it in innovative ways, including showing it in clinic waiting rooms on tribal lands. Additionally, it has been broadcast on public television stations around the state, and continues to be screened at Native film festivals in Minnesota and around the country, including the national American Indian Film Festival in San Francisco, where it was nominated for Best Public Service film last year.

“We are very proud of this project, which is one of several collaborations supporting Minnesota tribes as they work to undo the tobacco industry’s harms and improve health,” said our CEO David Willoughby. “Reclaiming is helping American Indian advocates, but it’s also educating non-Native Minnesotans about the importance of understanding and respecting Native ways.”

The film can be viewed at http://www.tpt.org/reclaiming-sacred-tobacco/.