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ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL—NOVEMBER 13, 2018 6 <br /> Gene Nichols, 5910 David Court in Shoreview, stated he was before the Council as a <br /> representative of the African American Leadership Forum. He noted he currently serves on the <br /> Ramsey County Health Advisory Committee. He explained he supported the Council pursuing an <br /> Ordinance amendment that would change the tobacco purchase age to 21 and to restrict the sale of <br /> flavored tobacco to adult only shops. He reviewed the percentage of African Americans using <br /> menthol cigarettes in the metro area and noted the tobacco industry has been targeting his <br /> community by handing out Newports in black communities. He stated many in his community <br /> cannot stop smoking even though they want to quit and wish tobacco addiction on nobody. He <br /> reported his 69-year-old brother lost his battle to COPD a year ago. He explained the FDA was <br /> finally considering the ban of e-cigarettes at gas stations and convenient stores in order to curb <br /> youth use. He stated he looked forward to the FDA's full plan noting this was a welcome and <br /> long overdue first step. However, he encouraged States and cities to pursue their own restrictions <br /> in order to create a healthy future for the community. <br /> Rita Lamatsch, 1535 Royal Hills Drive, reported she was the mother of two children. She stated <br /> she supported the City Council raising the tobacco sales age to 21 while also restricting the sale of <br /> flavored tobacco to adult only stores. She indicated she was concerned about the number of <br /> children who were hooked on e-cigarettes. She noted one in five students in high school currently <br /> uses e-cigarettes. She stated this scared her as a parent and also brought about fear as to how this <br /> generation will face their nicotine addiction. She reported the tobacco industry was using flavors <br /> to lure youth into e-cigarette use. She noted the FDA believed e-cigarette use among youth has <br /> become an epidemic. She encouraged the Arden Hills City Council to take action now by passing <br /> a Tobacco 21 Ordinance amendment. <br /> Claire Lamatsch, 1535 Royal Hills Drive, encouraged the Arden Hills City Council to raise the <br /> age of tobacco sales to 21 and to remove flavored tobacco from convenient stores. She believed <br /> this would make it harder for kids to try e-cigarette products with their friends. She stated her <br /> sister has friends in junior high that have already used e-cigarette products and these were always <br /> flavored. She explained her parents have always warned her about the dangers of smoking <br /> cigarettes but there are not as many warnings about e-cigarettes. She stated many people believe <br /> e-cigarettes are safe, but the truth is they were addictive. She recommended the City Council <br /> adopt an Ordinance amendment that would help keep more children from getting hooked on <br /> nicotine. <br /> Anna Grace, 5893 Royal Oaks Drive, reported she was a loth grade student at Mounds View <br /> High School. She discussed how clever the tobacco industry was disguising its product with <br /> flavors that appealed to youth. She commented on how addictive and dangerous these products <br /> were. She stated many of her peers believed vaping was safe and cool. She reported it was easy <br /> for students to conceal their vaping devices as they could be mistaken as thumb drives or other <br /> technology. She indicated young people would find it much easier to contact an 18-year-old to <br /> purchase e-cigarettes for them than it would be to contact a 21-year-old. She encouraged the City <br /> Council to be strong community leaders by increasing the tobacco age to 21 in hopes of <br /> decreasing the appeal among younger users. She stated she was proud to live in a community that <br /> prioritized the health of its residents over tobacco industry benefits. <br /> Dan Schmidt, 1863 Sixth Street in White Bear Lake, stated he opposed raising the tobacco age. <br /> He noted he was a non-tobacco using father of two. He explained he was the manager of the <br />