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Attachment F 1406 Sixth Avenue North | St. Cloud, MN 56303-1901 (320) 251-2700 phone | (320) 255-5711 fax www.centracare.com November 3, 2020 City of Roseville 2660 Civic Center Drive Roseville, MN 55113 Dear Mayor Roe and Members of the Roseville City Council, On behalf of CentraCare,I strongly support your efforts to restrict the sale of all flavored tobacco products.At CentraCare ourmission isnot only to improve the health of our patients, but also the community at large. Our day-to-day work in our health care settings and in the community has given us a deep and intimate understanding of individual and community health. Flavored tobacco products are a key reason Minnesota is facing a youth nicotine epidemic. Flavored products mask the harshness of tobacco but are just as addictive and dangerous as other tobacco products. Some of these flavors include chocolate, apple, grape, mango, cotton candy, berry, mint/menthol, and wintergreen. th According to the 2019 Minnesota Student Survey, 20.5% of Roseville School District 9graders used e- th cigarettes in the last 30 days. This is higher than the statewide average for 9graders, which is 16.4%. The th survey results found that 21.2% of Roseville School District 11graders reported using e-cigarettes in the last 30 days, which is an 11% increase from 2016. The tobacco industry has a long history of targeting youth with their products. Tobacco executives admitted to th these intentions in emails and industry documents throughout the late 20century. Now, the industry is craftier, but their intentions are still clear. The tobacco industry uses countless flavors to appeal to teens, ultimately leading to addiction. In fact, 80% of youth who use tobacco use fruit, candy, or menthol flavored products. Weak federal rules still allow the tobacco industry to use kid-friendly menthol, candy, and fruit flavors to attract the next generation of tobacco users. The FDA banned flavored cigarettes other than menthol in 2009, but the ban does not affect other tobacco products. The FDA issued a ruling in February 2020 that left thousands of appealing flavored products like mint/menthol, mango, and grape on the market. This ordinance would be closing these loopholes. We also encourage you to continue to include menthol, mint, and wintergreen flavors in your flavor restriction. Menthol masks the harshness of tobacco smoke, making it easier to inhale and harder to quit. The tobacco industry has spent decades marketing menthol to the African American community. These tactics have created disparities among those who smoke menthol: 88% of Black smokers use menthol cigarettes compared to 25% of white smokers. The city of Roseville must address flavored tobacco. Restricting the sales of all flavored tobacco products will reduce the availability and appeal which will lead to reduced tobacco initiation and use among youth as well as help reduce health disparities.We cannot wait for the state or federal government when we have the opportunity to protect our community now. Thank you for prioritizing the wellness of your community above the interests of the tobacco industry. Tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of death in Minnesota.You have theopportunity to reduce its harm. If you have questions or if I can ever be of assistance, please donothesitate to contact me at any time. Kenneth Holmen, MD President/CEO CentraCare