The Minnesota Plan for Nonsmoking and Health: The Legislative Experience

The Minnesota Department of Health has successfully introduced nonsmoking legislation which was enacted by the Minnesota Legislature in June, 1985. The legislation raises the excise tax on tobacco products and appropriates a percentage of the excise tax revenues to fund multiple programs comprising...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of public health policy 1986, Vol.7 (3), p.300-313
Main Authors: Shultz, James M., Moen, Michael E., Pechacek, Terry F., Harty, Kathleen C., Skubic, Mark A., Gust, Steven W., Dean, Andrew G.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Anti smoking movements
Cigarette smoking
Cigarettes
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Economic costs
Epidemiology
Excise taxes
Health legislation
Humans
Legislation
Legislation as Topic
Minnesota
Primary Prevention
Public health
Smoking
Smoking cessation
Smoking Prevention
Tax legislation
Taxes - legislation & jurisprudence
Citations: Items that cite this one
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Summary:The Minnesota Department of Health has successfully introduced nonsmoking legislation which was enacted by the Minnesota Legislature in June, 1985. The legislation raises the excise tax on tobacco products and appropriates a percentage of the excise tax revenues to fund multiple programs comprising a coordinated nonsmoking initiative. Specific appropriations fund statewide tobacco-use prevention curricula targeted for adolescents; a continuum of nonsmoking education from kindergarten through grade 12; a multi-media public education and communications campaign; competitive special project grants to community health service agencies and nonprofit organizations for community-level and statewide smoking prevention programs; and peer-reviewed program evaluation. The launch point for the legislation was a comprehensive statewide smoking control plan, developed by an expert committee with wide-ranging expertise. Support for the legislation was enhanced through coalition-building among organizations concerned with the health and economic effects of cigarette smoking. Detailed health and economic impact arguments, using Minnesota data, provided a clear problem statement, key points of testimony, and compelling justification for nonsmoking legislation.
ISSN:0197-5897
1745-655X
DOI:10.2307/3342458