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Attachment A Regular City Council Meeting Monday, January 11, 2021 Page 12 492 Chronic disease and COVID-19 continue to disproportionately impact Minnesotans 493 across race, ethnicity, educational level, and socio-economic status. She noted that 494 many of the same communities most affected by COVID-19 are also heavily af- 495 fected by commercial tobacco and commercial tobacco users have experienced 496 worse outcomes of COVID-19 due to compromised lung health. She noted they 497 cannot wait for high level of government to act. The City Council has an amazing 498 opportunity to make an impact on the community and its health. She explained 499 with over 400,000 tobacco-caused deaths each year in the US, it remains the leading 500 preventable cause of death and disease in the country and in Minnesota. Roseville 501 State Legislator John Marty and Representative Alice Hausman have pledged their 502 support on this, and she asked the Council to take this step to protect the cityÓs 503 youth and vulnerable populations. 504 505 Ms. Mei Bryn Swanson, Albert Street, Roseville 506 Ms. Swanson explained she supported the ban on flavored tobacco and menthol. 507 She indicated she is a recent graduate of Roseville High School and has seen the 508 effects of vaping that has had on her peers. When she asked her friends why they 509 started vaping, the most common response was because it seemed fun or was a joke 510 and when asked why they still vape, the response was because they could not stop. 511 She explained all of her friends that vape have said their anxiety has worsened and 512 they regret starting. She noted she was extremely afraid for her peers and future 513 generations, especially when it comes to flavored tobacco products. She asked the 514 Council to vote in favor of banning the flavored tobacco products. 515 516 Ms. Vakare Bartkaitis, 1843 Shryer Avenue West, Roseville 517 Ms. Bartkaitis stated she fully supports ending the sale of all tobacco flavored prod- 518 ucts in Roseville in general because no kid ever likes tobacco flavor. They are 519 simply drawn to the sweet tasting stuff. People are posting vaping all over social 520 media and it is frustrating when the state and nation are trying to teach young people 521 about the harm of these products while images and videos of them in a harmless 522 light are all over social media. She noted this makes vaping look appealing and fun 523 while completely ignoring the risks associated with it. With COVID-19 a new twist 524 has emerged because COVID-19 and vaping go hand in hand on social media. 525 There are posts and videos indicating that the only way young people can get 526 COVID is if it is vaped along with people posting that in order to avoid getting 527 COVID they need to use tobacco products. Those who are severely addicted to 528 nicotine continue to use flavored products throughout this pandemic. She noted 529 that tobacco use continues to remain high because people are stressed with uncer- 530 tainty and default to their most tasty and convenient stress reliever. This is not just 531 e-cigarettes but also flavored igars that are used as blunt wraps and other drug de- 532 livery devices. She stated that youth need the CouncilÓs help in spreading positive 533 support on social media and through policy change in order to end the false adver- 534 tisement of medication for COVID-19 and stress in the community. 535 536 Mr. Shane Weber, 2950 Arona Street, Roseville