man snapping a cigarette in half
Tobacco Prevention

Tobacco Prevention

Reducing Tobacco's Harm in Central Minnesota

Tobacco is the leading cause of death and disease in central Minnesota, causing untold devastation to our families and communities. In addition to impacting lives and health, tobacco use is also costly. In Minnesota it’s estimated that smoking costs Minnesota over $3 billion in health care costs alone – costs everyone is forced to bear.

youth

At Feeling Good MN, we are committed to reducing the impact of tobacco on our communities and families. We are doing so through education, by advocating for laws and ordinances at the state and local level designed to reduce access and exposure to tobacco and secondhand smoke and by working to prevent yet another generation of Minnesotans from being addicted to tobacco through e-cigarette use.

What We’ve Done & Where We’re Going

For over 14 years we have partnered with local public-health agencies and participated in statewide coalitions to reduce tobacco's harm across Minnesota, including central Minnesota. We are raising awareness about how increasing the legal age to purchase tobacco age to 21 will save lives here in central Minnesota and all across the state. Every year we bring student advocates to the state capitol to talk to their elected officials about protecting them from the harms of commerical tobacco. We are working with county, state and federal agencies to raise awareness of the benefits of offering smoke-free housing options. We are also working in a number of ways to update our local tobacco ordinances to help reduce tobacco’s harm in our communities.

Tobacco Facts

We have all heard the dangers of tobacco, but you may be surprised about the many things you still don’t know about this product and industry. We educate the community about tobacco so that people can make informed decisions to protect themselves and their families.

For more help, visit the following pages:

Quitting Tobacco is Always Possible

Thinking of giving up tobacco? We know you have a hard road ahead of you and we are here to help. Thankfully, our teams at CentraCare Health's hospitals and clinics have learned many strategies that can help you quit tobacco once and for all. We have tobacco treatment specialists trained in a variety of prevention and cessation techniques, including counseling and medication. We offer one-on-one counseling, group therapy, and personalized plans designed to help you kick tobacco use for good.

Stats on Tobacco Use

  • 95%

    of addicted smokers start before age 21

  • 6,312

    smoking-related deaths in Minnesota each Year

  • $3.19B

    annual excess health care cost in Minnesota each year caused by smoking

  • 1 in 5

    deaths are due to tobacco use

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