4. MN-City-Retail-Tobacco-Lic-Ordwww.publichealthlawcenter.org
November 2018POINT-OF-SALE
Through licensing and related
regulations, Minnesota cities
have the opportunity to address
the sale of commercial tobacco
and related devices and products
in the retail environment.
This model ordinance includes all of the minimum
retail tobacco sales restrictions required by
Minnesota state and federal law. It also includes
a number of additional provisions a city may
choose to adopt in order to further advance
public health. A city planning to adopt this model
ordinance, in whole or in part, should review it
with its city attorney beforehand to determine
suitability for the city’s circumstances. While the
model ordinance language can be modified by
adding or omitting content concerning activities
that a city does or does not seek to regulate,
doing so may result in an ordinance that does not
conform to state law, federal law, and best public
health policy practices.
Because provisions within this model ordinance
are controlled by statute and rule, the city
attorney should review any modifications to
ensure they conform to state and federal law.
In addition, because the ordinance establishes
rights and responsibilities of both the city and
license applicants and holders, the city attorney
should review the entire ordinance before it is
adopted. The Public Health Law Center provides
legal technical assistance to help communities
that wish to adopt commercial tobacco control
ordinances. We encourage communities to
contact us for assistance when considering this
model language.
MINNESOTA CITY RETAIL TOBACCO LICENSING ORDINANCE
www.publichealthlawcenter.org Minnesota City Retail Tobacco Licensing Ordinance 2
Notice
This ordinance is drafted in the form prescribed by state law for statutory cities. Statutory
cities must publish their ordinances — or a summary thereof — in the city’s official newspaper
before they become effective. Home rule charter cities may have to follow the formatting and/
or other procedural requirements found in their city’s charter. Charter cities should consult
their charter and their city attorney to ensure that they comply with all charter requirements.
All cities must provide copies of their ordinances to the county law library or its designated
depository pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 415.021.
This ordinance may affect existing license holders. Under Minn. Stat. § 461.19, a city is required
to give retailers notice that it is considering adopting or substantially amending a retail tobacco
licensing ordinance. The city must take reasonable steps to send notice by mail at least 30
days prior to the meeting to the last known address of each licensee or person required to
hold a license. The notice must state the time, place, and date of the meeting and the subject
matter of the proposed ordinance. A city may also mail a copy of the proposed ordinance to all
existing license holders to inform them of its contents and to provide them an opportunity to
make their views known.
Additionally, Minn. Stat. § 415.19 requires statutory and home rule charter cities to post proposed
new ordinances and ordinance amendments on the city website at least 10 days prior to a final vote
by the city council, if the city already posts ordinances on its site. Under the same statute, within 10
days of a final vote, cities must also provide this same notice to all city listserv subscribers via their
electronic notification system or, if the city does not have an electronic notification system, in the
location that the city posts public notices. Cities must also provide new or renewing licensees with
information about the city’s notification procedure at the time of application.
Tips for Using This Model Ordinance
The best possible world is one without the death and health harms associated with commercial
tobacco use. Communities differ on their readiness and willingness to adopt certain commercial
tobacco control policies that are intended to help make that world a reality. As such, this
model ordinance represents a balance between state and federal minimum standards, best
public health policy practices, and practicality for city governments in Minnesota. This model
ordinance contains several policy components that go beyond state minimum requirements
and communities may or may not choose to adopt at this time, including:
{Raising the legal purchasing age to 21;
{Restricting the sale of flavored tobacco products, including menthol;
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{Regulating the price of commercial tobacco products, such as establishing minimum prices
for cigars and restricting price promotions and coupon redemptions;
{Regulating the distance between tobacco retailers, youth-oriented facilities and other
retailers; and
{Prohibiting pharmacies from selling commercial tobacco products.
Context Box
Context boxes are included throughout this model ordinance to explain some key provisions.
These boxes are not meant to be included in any final ordinance. A city wishing to adopt
all or part of this model ordinance should keep this in mind and remove the context boxes.
Context boxes have been included throughout the model ordinance to explain some of the key
provisions. These boxes are not meant to be included in any final ordinance and a city wishing to
adopt all or part of this model ordinance should keep this in mind and remove the context boxes.
While the Public Health Law Center does not lobby, advocate, or directly represent
communities, adopting effective commercial tobacco control policies starts early with
education, stakeholder and community engagement, and a strong advocacy plan. If a
community is unaware of the resources available to them for engaging the community and
developing an advocacy plan, or if a city is considering adopting an ordinance and is interested
in learning about the range of resources available, the Public Health Law Center can provide
assistance through our publications and referrals to experts in the field. In certain, limited
circumstances, Public Health Law Center staff may be able to speak at public hearings or work
sessions to provide education about particular policy options.
This retail tobacco licensing ordinance was prepared by the Tobacco Control Legal Consortium at the Public Health
Law Center, located at Mitchell Hamline School of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota.
The Public Health Law Center provides information and legal technical assistance on issues related to public health.
The Center does not lobby nor does it provide direct legal representation or advice. This document should not be
considered legal advice.
This publication represents the only Minnesota model city retailer licensing policy endorsed by the Public Health
Law Center.
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ORDINANCE NO. [ _____________ ]
AN ORDINANCE REGULATING THE SALE OF TOBACCO
AND RELATED DEVICES AND PRODUCTS WITHIN
THE CITY OF [ _____________ ], MINNESOTA
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF [ _____________ ]
DOES ORDAIN:
Section 1. Purpose and Intent. 5
Section 2. Definitions. 6
Section 3. License. 9
Section 4. Fees. 13
Section 5. Basis for Denial of License. 14
Section 6. Prohibited Acts. 14
Section 7. Responsibility. 18
Section 8. Compliance Checks and Inspections. 18
Section 9. Other Prohibited Acts. 19
Section 10. Exceptions and Defenses. 21
Section 11. Violations and Penalties. 21
Section 12. Severability. 23
Section 13. Effective Date. 23
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Section 1. Purpose and Intent.
Because the city recognizes that the sale of commercial tobacco, tobacco-related devices,
electronic delivery devices, and nicotine or lobelia delivery products to persons under the
age of 18 violates both state and federal laws; and because studies, which the city accepts
and adopts, have shown that youth use of any commercial tobacco product has increased to
26.4% in Minnesota; and because nearly 90% of smokers begin smoking before they have
reached the age of 18 years, and that almost no one starts smoking after age 25; and because
marketing analysis, public health research, and commercial tobacco industry documents reveal
that tobacco companies have used menthol, mint, fruit, candy, and alcohol flavors as a way to
target youth and young adults and that the presence of such flavors can make it more difficult
to quit; and because studies show that youth and young adults are especially susceptible
to commercial tobacco product availability, advertising, and price promotions at tobacco
retail environments; and because commercial tobacco use has been shown to be the cause
of many serious health problems which subsequently place a financial burden on all levels of
government, this ordinance is intended to regulate the sale of commercial tobacco, tobacco-
related devices, electronic delivery devices, and nicotine or lobelia delivery products for the
purpose of enforcing and furthering existing laws, to protect youth and young adults against
the serious health effects associated with use and initiation, and to further the official public
policy of the state to prevent young people from starting to smoke, as stated in Minn. Stat. §
144.391, as it may be amended from time to time.
In making these findings, the City Council accepts the conclusions and recommendations of: the
U.S. Surgeon General reports, E-cigarette Use Among Youth and Young Adults (2016), The Health
Consequences of Smoking — 50 Years of Progress (2014) and Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth
and Young Adults (2012); the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in their studies, Tobacco
Use Among Middle and High School Students — United States, 2011–2015 (2016), and Selected
Cigarette Smoking Initiation and Quitting Behaviors Among High School Students, United States,
1997 (1998); and of the following scholars in these scientific journals: Chen, J., & Millar, W. J.
(1998). Age of smoking initiation: implications for quitting. Health Reports, 9(4), 39-46; D’Avanzo,
B., La Vecchia, C., & Negri, E. (1994). Age at starting smoking and number of cigarettes smoked.
Annals of Epidemiology, 4(6), 455–459; Everett, S. A., Warren, C. W., Sharp, D., Kann, L., Husten,
C. G., & Crossett, L. S. (1999). Initiation of cigarette smoking and subsequent smoking behavior
among U.S. high school students. Preventive Medicine, 29(5), 327–333; Giovino, G. A. (2002).
Epidemiology of tobacco use in the United States. Oncogene, 21(48), 7326–7340; Khuder, S. A.,
Dayal, H. H., & Mutgi, A. B. (1999). Age at smoking onset and its effect on smoking cessation.
Addictive Behaviors, 24(5), 673–677; Luke, D. A., Hammond, R. A., Combs, T., Sorg, A., Kasman,
M., Mack-Crane, A., Henriksen, L. (2017). Tobacco Town: Computational Modeling of Policy
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Options to Reduce Tobacco Retailer Density. American Journal of Public Health, 107(5), 740–746;
Minnesota Department of Health. (2018). Data Highlights from the 2017 Minnesota Youth Tobacco
Survey. Saint Paul, MN; Tobacco Control Legal Consortium. (2006). The Verdict Is In: Findings from
United States v. Phillip Morris, The Hazards of Smoking. University of California — San Francisco.
Truth Tobacco Industry Documents, https://www.industrydocumentslibrary.ucsf.edu/tobacco/;
Xu, X., Bishop, E. E., Kennedy, S. M., Simpson, S. A., & Pechacek, T. F. (2015) Annual healthcare
spending attributable to cigarette smoking: an update. American Journal of Preventive Medicine,
48(3), 326–333, copies of which are adopted by reference.
Purpose and Findings
A Purpose and Findings section is important because it provides the evidentiary basis for
the proposed commercial tobacco control policies and demonstrates the city’s reasoning
for adopting specific provisions. This Purpose and Findings section reflects language
appropriate for all of the provisions suggested. The Public Health Law Center can provide
support for communities to determine which Purpose and Findings statements and
references should be retained in a final ordinance, depending on which provisions from
the model ordinance the city chooses to adopt.
Section 2. Definitions.
Except as may otherwise be provided or clearly implied by context, all terms are given their
commonly accepted definitions. For the purpose of this ordinance, the following definitions
apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning:
CHILD-RESISTANT PACKAGING. Packaging that meets the definition set forth in Code of
Federal Regulations, title 16, section 1700.15(b), as in effect on January 1, 2015, and was tested
in accordance with the method described in Code of Federal Regulations, title 16, section
1700.20, as in effect on January 1, 2015.
CIGAR. Any roll of tobacco that is wrapped in tobacco leaf or in any other substance containing
tobacco, with or without a tip or mouthpiece, which is not a cigarette as defined in Minn. Stat.
§ 297F.01, subd. 3, as may be amended from time to time.
COMPLIANCE CHECKS. The system the city uses to investigate and ensure that those authorized
to sell licensed products are following and complying with the requirements of this ordinance.
COMPLIANCE CHECKS involve the use of persons under the age of 21 who purchase or attempt
to purchase licensed products. COMPLIANCE CHECKS may also be conducted by the city or
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other units of government for educational, research, and training purposes or for investigating
or enforcing federal, state, or local laws and regulations relating to licensed products.
ELECTRONIC DELIVERY DEVICE. Any product containing or delivering nicotine, lobelia, or any
other substance, whether natural or synthetic, intended for human consumption through the
inhalation of aerosol or vapor from the product. ELECTRONIC DELIVERY DEVICE includes, but
is not limited to, devices manufactured, marketed, or sold as e-cigarettes, e-cigars, e-pipes,
vape pens, mods, tank systems, or under any other product name or descriptor. ELECTRONIC
DELIVERY DEVICE includes any component part of a product, whether or not marketed or
sold separately. ELECTRONIC DELIVERY DEVICE does not include any product that has been
approved or certified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for sale as a tobacco-cessation
product, as a tobacco-dependence product, or for other medical purposes, and is marketed and
sold for such an approved purpose.
FLAVORED PRODUCT. Any licensed product that contains a taste or smell, other than the
taste or smell of tobacco, that is distinguishable by an ordinary consumer either prior to or
during the consumption of the product, including, but not limited to, any taste or smell relating
to chocolate, cocoa, menthol, mint, wintergreen, vanilla, honey, fruit, or any candy, dessert,
alcoholic beverage, herb, or spice. A public statement or claim, whether express or implied,
made or disseminated by the manufacturer of a licensed product, or by any person authorized
or permitted by the manufacturer to make or disseminate public statements concerning such
products, that a product has or produces a taste or smell other than a taste or smell of tobacco
will constitute presumptive evidence that the product is a flavored product.
IMITATION TOBACCO PRODUCT. Any edible non-tobacco product designed to resemble a
tobacco product, or any non-edible tobacco product designed to resemble a tobacco product
and intended to be used by children as a toy. IMITATION TOBACCO PRODUCT includes,
but is not limited to, candy or chocolate cigarettes, bubble gum cigars, shredded bubble gum
resembling chewing tobacco, and shredded beef jerky in containers resembling tobacco snuff
tins. IMITATION TOBACCO PRODUCT does not include electronic delivery devices or nicotine
or lobelia delivery products.
INDOOR AREA. All space between a floor and a ceiling that is bounded by walls, doorways, or
windows, whether open or closed, covering more than 50 percent of the combined surface area
of the vertical planes constituting the perimeter of the area. A wall includes any retractable
divider, garage door, or other physical barrier, whether temporary or permanent. A standard
window screen (0.011 gauge with an 18 by 16 mesh count) is not considered a wall.
LICENSED PRODUCTS. The term that collectively refers to any tobacco, tobacco-related
device, electronic delivery device, or nicotine or lobelia delivery product.
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LOOSIES. The common term used to refer to single or individually packaged cigars or cigarettes,
or any other licensed product that has been removed from its intended retail packaging and
offered for sale. LOOSIES does not include individual cigars with a retail price, after any
discounts are applied and before any sales taxes are imposed, of at least [ $4.00 ] per cigar.
MOVEABLE PLACE OF BUSINESS. Any form of business that is operated out of a kiosk, truck,
van, automobile or other type of vehicle or transportable shelter and not a fixed address store
front or other permanent type of structure authorized for sales transactions.
NICOTINE OR LOBELIA DELIVERY PRODUCT. Any product containing or delivering nicotine
or lobelia intended for human consumption, or any part of such a product, that is not a tobacco
or an electronic delivery device as defined in this section. NICOTINE OR LOBELIA DELIVERY
PRODUCT does not include any product that has been approved or otherwise certified for
legal sale by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a tobacco-cessation product, a tobacco-
dependence product, or for other medical purposes, and is being marketed and sold solely for
that approved purpose.
PHARMACY. A place of business at which prescription drugs are prepared, compounded,
or dispensed by or under the supervision of a pharmacist and from which related clinical
pharmacy services are delivered.
RETAIL ESTABLISHMENT. Any place of business where licensed products are available for sale
to the general public. The phrase includes but is not limited to grocery stores, tobacco products
shops, convenience stores, gasoline service stations, bars, and restaurants.
SALE. Any transfer of goods for money, trade, barter or other consideration.
SELF-SERVICE DISPLAY. The open display of licensed products in any manner where any
person has access to the licensed products without the assistance or intervention of the
licensee or the licensee’s employee.
SMOKING. Inhaling, exhaling, burning, or carrying any lighted or heated cigar, cigarette,
or pipe, or any other lighted or heated product containing, made, or derived from nicotine,
tobacco, marijuana, or other plant, whether natural or synthetic, that is intended for inhalation.
Smoking also includes carrying or using an activated electronic delivery device.
TOBACCO. Any product containing, made, or derived from tobacco that is intended for human
consumption, whether chewed, smoked, absorbed, dissolved, inhaled, snorted, sniffed, or
ingested by any other means, or any component, part, or accessory of a tobacco product
including but not limited to cigarettes; cigars; cheroots; stogies; perique; granulated, plug cut,
crimp cut, ready rubbed, and other smoking tobacco; snuff; snuff flour; cavendish; plug and
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twist tobacco; fine cut and other chewing tobaccos; shorts; refuse scraps, clippings, cuttings
and sweepings of tobacco; and other kinds and forms of tobacco. TOBACCO does not include
any product that has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for sale as a
tobacco-cessation product, as a tobacco-dependence product, or for other medical purposes,
and is being marketed and sold solely for such an approved purpose.
TOBACCO-RELATED DEVICE. Any rolling papers, wraps, pipes, or other device intentionally
designed or intended to be used with tobacco products. TOBACCO-RELATED DEVICE includes
components of tobacco-related devices or tobacco products, which may be marketed or sold
separately. TOBACCO-RELATED DEVICES may or may not contain tobacco.
VENDING MACHINE. Any mechanical, electric or electronic, or other type of device that
dispenses licensed products upon the insertion of money, tokens, or other form of payment
directly into the machine by the person seeking to purchase the licensed product.
YOUTH-ORIENTED FACILITY. Any facility with residents, customers, visitors, or inhabitants of
which 25 percent or more are regularly under the age of 21 or that primarily sells, rents, or offers
services or products that are consumed or used primarily by persons under the age of 21. Youth-
oriented facility includes, but is not limited to, schools, playgrounds, recreation centers, and parks.
Section 3. License.
(A) License required. No person shall sell or offer to sell any licensed product without first
having obtained a license to do so from the city.
(B) Application. An application for a license to sell licensed products must be made on a
form provided by the city. The application must contain the full name of the applicant,
the applicant’s residential and business addresses and telephone numbers, the name
of the business for which the license is sought, and any additional information the city
deems necessary. Upon receipt of a completed application, the City Clerk will forward the
application to the City Council for action at its next regularly scheduled meeting. If the
City Clerk determines that an application is incomplete, it will be returned to the applicant
with notice of the information necessary to make the application complete.
(C) Action. The City Council may approve or deny the application for a license, or it may delay
action for a reasonable period of time to complete any investigation of the application or the
applicant deemed necessary. If the City Council approves the application, the City Clerk will
issue the license to the applicant. If the City Council denies the application, notice of the denial
will be given to the applicant along with notice of the applicant’s right to appeal the decision.
(D) Term. All licenses issued are valid for one calendar year from the date of issue.
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(E) Revocation or suspension. Any license issued may be suspended or revoked following the
procedures set forth in Section 11.
(F) Transfers. All licenses issued are valid only on the premises for which the license was
issued and only for the person to whom the license was issued. The transfer of any license
to another location or person is prohibited.
(G) Moveable place of business. No license will be issued to a moveable place of business.
Only fixed-location businesses are eligible to be licensed.
(H) Display. All licenses must be posted and displayed at all times in plain view of the general
public on the licensed premises.
(I) Renewals. The renewal of a license issued under this ordinance will be handled in the
same manner as the original application. The request for a renewal must be made at least
30 days, but no more than 60 days, before the expiration of the current license.
(J) Issuance as privilege and not a right. The issuance of a license is a privilege and does not
entitle the license holder to an automatic renewal of the license.
(K) Minimum clerk age. Individuals employed by a licensed retail establishment under this
ordinance must be at least [ 18 or 21 ] years of age to sell licensed products.
Minimum Age for Clerks
Cities may be interested in establishing a minimum age for employees that work for
licensed tobacco retailers. Doing so ensures that employees are of or above the minimum
legal sales age for commercial tobacco sales. If a city chooses to raise the minimum legal
sales age to 21, but leave the minimum clerk age at 18, clerks between the ages of 18 and
20 can legally sell licensed products within the purview of their employment, but would
be unable to purchase them.
(L) Maximum number of licenses. The maximum number of licenses issued by the city at any
time is limited to [ see context box below ]. When the maximum number of licenses has
been issued, the city may place persons seeking licensure on a waiting list and allow them
to apply on a first-come, first-served basis, as licenses are not renewed or are revoked.
A new applicant who has purchased a business location holding a valid city license
will be entitled to first priority, provided the new applicant meets all other application
requirements in accordance with this ordinance.
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Licensing Cap
Communities with a higher density of commercial tobacco retailers expose more youth
and young adults to commercial tobacco industry marketing and make it easier for youth
and young adults to obtain licensed products. This encourages commercial tobacco
initiation, use, and brand choice. One way to address retailer density issues is to place a
cap on the number of tobacco retailer licenses that may be issued by the city. The above
provision would set the maximum number of licenses available.
Cities can choose how to structure a licensing cap to meet the needs of their communities.
Potential options include setting the cap at the number of existing licensed retailers or
limiting the number of licensed retailers based on population density. A city may also want
to limit licenses to those that currently exist and reduce the number of available licenses
over time, as licenses are revoked or expire and are not renewed. Cities are encouraged
to work with local public health departments, city attorneys, and the Public Health Law
Center to determine the appropriate licensing cap provision for their community.
For more information on retailer density, review our publication, Location, Location,
Location: Regulating Tobacco Retailer Locations for Public Health.
(M) Proximity to youth-oriented facilities. No license will be granted to any person for a
retail establishment location that is within [ 1,000 ] feet of a youth-oriented facility, as
measured by the shortest line from the property line of the space to be occupied by the
proposed licensee to the nearest property line of a youth-oriented facility. This restriction
does not apply to an existing license holder who has been licensed to sell licensed
products in that same location for at least one year before the date this section was
enacted into law.
(N) Proximity to other licensed retailers. No license will be granted to any person for a retail
establishment location that is within [ 2,000 ] feet of any other existing licensed retail
establishment , as measured by the shortest line from the property line of the space to
be occupied by the applicant for a license to the nearest property line of the existing
licensee. This restriction does not apply to an applicant who has been licensed to sell
licensed products in the same location for at least one year before the date this section
was enacted into law.
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Proximity Restrictions
Research has demonstrated that policies requiring set distances between retailers and
between retailers and youth-oriented facilities help to reduce tobacco retailer density and
increase prices for commercial tobacco products. These proximity buffers have the largest
impact in urban, low-income neighborhoods, which have been historically targeted by the
tobacco industry with pervasive marketing and price promotions at the point-of-sale. The
greatest public health impacts are seen when these policies are combined with a cap on
the number of licenses issued.
Luke, D. A., Hammond, R. A., Combs, T., Sorg, A., Kasman, M., Mack-Crane, A. Henriksen, L. (2017). Tobacco Town:
Computational Modeling of Policy Options to Reduce Tobacco Retailer Density. American Journal of Public Health, 107(5),
740–746; Myers, A. E., Hall, M. G., Isgett, L. F., & Ribisl, K. M. (2015). A Comparison of Three Policy Approaches for
Tobacco Retailer Reduction. Preventive Medicine, 74, 67–7; and Ribisl, K. M., Luke, D. A., Bohannon, D. L., Sorg, A. A., &
Moreland-Russell, S. (2017). Reducing Disparities in Tobacco Retailer Density by Banning Tobacco Product Sales near
Schools. Nicotine & Tobacco Research: Official Journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, 19(2), 239–244.
(O) Pharmacies ineligible for licensure. No existing license will be eligible for renewal to
any pharmacy, including any retail establishment that operates or contains an on-site
pharmacy, and no pharmacy or any retail establishment that operates an on-site
pharmacy will be granted a new license.
Pharmacy Prohibitions
Several communities have adopted laws prohibiting pharmacies from selling commercial
tobacco products. These laws have been shown to significantly reduce commercial
tobacco retailer density when compared to communities without similar laws. These gains
have had the greatest impact on neighborhoods with higher median income, education,
and proportion of non-Hispanic white residents. Although pharmacy restrictions alone
are unlikely to address health disparities, some studies have shown that these policies are
most effective when combined with proximity restrictions.
Giovenco, D. P., Spillane, T. E., Mauro, C. M., & Hernández, D. (2018). Evaluating the Impact and Equity of a Tobacco-free
Pharmacy Law on Retailer Density in New York City Neighbourhoods. Tobacco Control, tobaccocontrol-2018-054463.
Jin, Y., Lu, B., Klein, E. G., Berman, M., Foraker, R. E., & Ferketich, A. K. (2016). Tobacco-Free Pharmacy Laws and Trends
in Tobacco Retailer Density in California and Massachusetts. American Journal of Public Health, 106(4), 679–685.
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(P) Smoking prohibited. Smoking, including smoking for the purpose of the sampling of
licensed products, is prohibited within the indoor area of any retail establishment licensed
under this ordinance.
(Q) Samples prohibited. No person shall distribute samples of any licensed product free of
charge or at a nominal cost.
(R) Instructional program. Licensees must ensure that all employees complete a training
program on the legal requirements related to the sale of licensed products and the
possible consequences of license violations. Any training program must be pre-approved
by the city. Licensees must maintain documentation demonstrating their compliance
and must provide this documentation to the city at the time of renewal, or whenever
requested to do so during the license term.
Section 4. Fees.
No license will be issued under this ordinance until the appropriate license fees are paid in full.
The fees will be established by the city’s fee schedule and may be amended from time to time.
Licensing Fees
Fees provide revenue for the administration and enforcement of the ordinance and for
retailer and community education. Periodic review and adjustment of licensing fees
will ensure that they are sufficient to cover all administration, implementation, and
enforcement costs, including compliance checks. Our publication, Retail License Fees,
provides more information about retail licensing fees and a license fee checklist.
Section 5. Basis for Denial of License.
(A) Grounds for denying the issuance or renewal of a license include, but are not limited to,
the following:
(1) The applicant is under 21 years of age.
(2) The applicant has been convicted within the past five years of any violation of a federal,
state, or local law, ordinance provision, or other regulation relating to licensed products.
(3) The applicant has had a license to sell licensed products suspended or revoked within
the preceding 12 months of the date of application.
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(4) The applicant fails to provide any of the information required on the licensing
application, or provides false or misleading information.
(5) The applicant is prohibited by federal, state, or other local law, ordinance, or other
regulation from holding a license.
(B) Except as may otherwise be provided by law, the existence of any particular ground for
denial does not compel the city to deny the license.
(C) If a license is mistakenly issued or renewed to a person, it will be revoked upon the discovery
that the person was ineligible for the license under this ordinance. The city will provide the
license holder with notice of the revocation, along with information on the right to appeal.
Section 6. Prohibited Acts.
(A) In general. No person shall sell or offer to sell any licensed product:
(1) By means of any type of vending machine.
(2) By means of loosies as defined.
(3) Containing opium, morphine, jimson weed, bella donna, strychnos, cocaine, marijuana,
or other deleterious, hallucinogenic, toxic, or controlled substances except nicotine
and other substances found naturally in tobacco or added as part of an otherwise
lawful manufacturing process. It is not the intention of this provision to ban the sale of
lawfully manufactured cigarettes or other products subject to this ordinance.
(4) By any other means, to any other person, on in any other manner or form prohibited
by federal, state or other local law, ordinance provision, or other regulation.
(B) Legal age. No person shall sell any licensed product to any person under the age of 21.
(1) Age verification. Licensees must verify by means of government-issued photographic
identification that the purchaser is at least 21 years of age. Verification is not required
for a person over the age of 30. That the person appeared to be 30 years of age or
older does not constitute a defense to a violation of this subsection.
(2) Signage. Notice of the legal sales age and age verification requirement must be
posted prominently and in plain view at all times at each location where licensed
products are offered for sale. The required signage, which will be provided to the
licensee by the city, must be posted in a manner that is clearly visible to anyone who
is or is considering making a purchase.
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www.publichealthlawcenter.org Minnesota City Retail Tobacco Licensing Ordinance 15
Raising the Minimum Legal Sales Age (MLSA) to 21
In 2015, the Institute of Medicine (now the Health and Medicine Division of the National
Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine) (IOM) released a report containing
compelling evidence of the significant public health benefits of raising the minimum
legal sales age (MLSA) for tobacco products. The IOM concluded that raising the MLSA
today to 21 would result in a 12 percent decrease in tobacco use, approximately 223,000
fewer premature deaths, 50,000 fewer deaths from lung cancer, and 4.2 million fewer
years of life lost for those born between 2000 and 2019. Based on studies showing the
effectiveness of enforced youth access laws, increasing the MLSA is likely to be particularly
effective in reducing tobacco usage among high school-aged youth by reducing their
access to commercial tobacco products. Studies have also indicated that older underage
youth (i.e. those who are closer to age 18) are more likely to succeed in buying tobacco in
stores. Further, high school friends and peers of legal age are an important social source of
commercial tobacco products for underage youth.
Under Minnesota state law, it is unlawful to sell licensed products to any person under the
age of 18. Minn. Stat. § 609.685, Minn. Stat. § 609.6855. State law does not prohibit local
jurisdictions from enacting a higher minimum legal sales age.
DiFranza, J R, Savageau, J. A., & Aisquith, B. F. (1996). Youth access to tobacco: the effects of age, gender, vending
machine locks, and “it’s the law” programs. American Journal of Public Health, 86(2), 221–224. DiFranza, Joseph R.,
& Coleman, M. (2001). Sources of tobacco for youths in communities with strong enforcement of youth access
laws. Tobacco Control, 10(4), 323–328. DiFranza, Joseph R., Savageau, J. A., & Fletcher, K. E. (2009). Enforcement of
underage sales laws as a predictor of daily smoking among adolescents — a national study. BMC Public Health, 9(1),
107. Institute of Medicine. (2015). Public Health Implications of Raising the Minimum Age of Legal Access to Tobacco
Products: Health and Medicine Division.
(C) Self-service sales. No person shall allow the sale of licensed products by any self-service
displays where the customer may have access to those items without having to request
the item from the licensee or the licensee’s employee and where there is not a physical
exchange of the licensed product from the licensee or the licensee’s employee to the
customer. All licensed products must be stored behind the sales counter, in another area not
freely accessible to customers, or in a case or other storage unit not left open and accessible
to the general public. Any retailer selling licensed products at the time this ordinance is
adopted must comply with this section within 90 days of the effective date of this ordinance.
(D) Flavored products. No person shall sell or offer for sale any flavored products. This
prohibition does not apply to retail establishments that:
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(1) Prohibit persons under 21 from entering at all times;
(2) Derive at least 90 percent of their gross revenues from the sale of licensed products; and
(3) Meet all of the following building or structural criteria:
(a) Shares no wall with, and has no part of their structure adjoined to any other
business or retailer, unless the wall is permanent, completely opaque, and without
doors, windows, and pass-throughs to the other business or retailer;
(b) Shares no walls with, and has no part of their structure directly adjoined to,
another licensed tobacco retailer; and
(c) Is accessible by the public only by an exterior door.
Any retail establishment that sells flavored products must provide financial records
documenting its annual sales, upon request by the city.
Sales of Flavored Products
Research demonstrates that flavored tobacco products are especially attractive to youth.
These products increase initiation among all populations by masking the harsh taste of
tobacco and nicotine. Flavors like menthol and clove also provide a numbing effect that
lead to longer breath-holding. This makes quitting flavored tobacco products difficult.
Overwhelmingly, youth begin using tobacco with flavored products. Restricting the sale of
flavored tobacco products to stores that youth and young adults cannot enter can reduce
youth access to, and advertisements for, flavored products.
Many Minnesota jurisdictions have restricted the sale of flavored tobacco products
by using the exemptions above. In response, some tobacco retailers have divided their
establishment into two stores, separated by a wall or other structural divider. This results
in a 21 year+ licensed tobacco retailer on one side that sells flavored tobacco products and
a licensed tobacco retailer on the other side that sells only unflavored tobacco products.
Adding structural requirements, as suggested in this model ordinance, would place
limitations upon such practices.
For more information, please review our publication: Regulating Flavored Tobacco Products.
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(E) Cigars. No person shall sell or offer to sell any cigar that is not within its intended retail
packaging containing a minimum of [ five ] cigars and for a sales price, after any discounts
are applied and before sales taxes are imposed, of less than [ $12.50 ] per package. This
provision does not prohibit the sale of a single cigar with a sales price, after any discounts
are applied and before sales taxes are imposed, of at least [ $4.00 ].
(F) Imitation tobacco products. No person shall sell, offer to sell, or otherwise distribute any
imitation tobacco products within the city.
(G) Liquid packaging. No person shall sell or offer to sell any liquid, whether or not such liquid
contains nicotine, which is intended for human consumption and use in an electronic
delivery device, in packaging that is not child-resistant. Upon request by the city, a
licensee must provide a copy of the certificate of compliance or full laboratory testing
report for the packaging used.
(H) Price promotion and coupon redemption. No person shall accept or redeem any coupon
or other instrument or mechanism, whether in paper, digital, electronic, mobile, or any
other form, that provides any licensed products to a consumer at no cost or at a price that
is less than the non-discounted, standard price listed by a retailer on the item or on any
related shelving, posting, advertising, or display at the location where the item is sold or
offered for sale, including all applicable taxes.
Product Discounts
The price of tobacco products directly affects the consumption levels, particularly among
price-sensitive consumers, including youth, young adults, and those with limited financial
means. The commercial tobacco industry uses innovative pricing strategies to entice
new customers to purchase their products, to discourage current users from quitting,
and to reduce the effectiveness of tobacco tax increases in decreasing tobacco sales
and increasing users’ quit attempts. These pricing strategies include “buy-one-get-one”
coupons, cents- or dollar-off promotions, and multi-pack offers, which are often marketed
and redeemed at the point-of-sale. Jurisdictions can prohibit the redemption of these
price discounts to negate the sophisticated discounting strategies of the commercial
tobacco industry. Please see our publication, Death on a Discount: Regulating Tobacco
Product Pricing, for more information on product pricing.
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Section 7. Responsibility.
All licensees are responsible for the actions of their employees in regard to the sale, offer to
sell, and furnishing of licensed products on the licensed premises. The sale, offer to sell, or
furnishing of any licensed product by an employee shall be considered an act of the licensee.
Nothing in this section shall be construed as prohibiting the city from also subjecting the
employee to any civil penalties that the city deems to be appropriate under this ordinance,
state or federal law, or other applicable law or regulation.
Section 8. Compliance Checks and Inspections.
All licensed premises must be open to inspection by law enforcement or other authorized city
officials during regular business hours. From time to time, but at least [ twice ] per year, the city
will conduct compliance checks. In accordance with state law, the city will conduct [ at least one
compliance check that involves the participation of two persons: one person between the ages of
15 and 17 and one person between the ages of 18 and 20 ] [ at least one compliance check that
involves the participation of a person between the ages of 15 and 17 and at least one compliance
check that involves the participation of a person between the ages of 18 and 20 ] to enter
licensed premises to attempt to purchase licensed products. Prior written consent is required for
any person under the age of 18 to participate in a compliance check. Persons used for the purpose
of compliance checks will be supervised by law enforcement or other designated personnel.
Compliance Checks
State law requires every local licensing authority to conduct at least one compliance
check each year. This state-mandated compliance check “must involve minors over the
age of 15, but under the age of 18.” It appears that cities with T21 laws can conduct this
annual compliance check to both satisfy state law and to enforce its local T21 policy. To
do so, a municipality could either conduct at least one compliance check with a person
between the ages of 15 and 17 and a person between the ages of 18 and 20, or conduct
more than one compliance check — at least one check with a person between the ages of
15 and 17 and at least one additional check with a person between the ages of 18 and 20.
Above, the bracketed language identifies two options that the city could choose and only
one option should be retained in a final licensing ordinance.
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Section 9. Other Prohibited Acts.
Unless otherwise provided, the following acts are an administrative violation of this ordinance:
(A) Prohibited furnishing or procurement. It is a violation of this ordinance for any person 21
years of age or older to purchase or otherwise obtain any licensed product on behalf of a
person under the age of 21. It is also a violation for any person 21 years of age and older to
coerce or attempt to coerce a person under the age of 21 to illegally purchase or attempt
to purchase any licensed product.
(B) Use of false identification. It is a violation of this ordinance for any person to use any form
of false identification, whether the identification is that of another person or has been
modified or tampered with to represent an age older than the actual age of the person
using that identification.
Penalizing Underage Purchase, Use, and Possession and the Use of a False Identification
Prohibiting the attempted and actual possession, use, and purchase (PUP) of licensed
products by underage persons or the use of a false ID to purchase tobacco products is a
part of many local Minnesota ordinances. However, this model ordinance does not include
penalties for underage PUP and only provides non-criminal, non-monetary penalties for
the use of false IDs.
At its core, a licensing ordinance is intended to regulate the behavior of licensees.
Penalizing underage persons detracts from the focus of the licensing code and siphons
enforcement resources away from the licensees to young consumers, many of whom are
addicted to nicotine. A 2017 Minnesota Annual Synar Report on youth access enforcement
found that underage persons were cited 3.6 times, and assessed fines 2.6 times, more
often than retailers. It is important to note that, even if PUP provisions are not included in
an ordinance, retailers have the authority to ask underage persons to leave the premises if
they attempt to purchase products.
There is no strong evidence to support an assertion that PUP penalties are effective in
significantly reducing youth smoking. Historically, these laws were lobbied for by the
commercial tobacco industry to punish youth users while the industry simultaneously
targeted, and continues to target, youth to replace a dying consumer base and maintain
profits in a dwindling market.
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Penalizing Underage Purchase, Use, and Possession and the Use of a False
Identification (continued)
Furthermore, many advocates are concerned that PUP penalties open the door to
selective enforcement against youth from certain racial, ethnic, and socio-economic
groups. Evidence suggests that youth of color in Minnesota are disproportionately
over-represented in similar status-level offenses, increasing their interactions with
law enforcement and resulting in their introduction to the criminal justice system.
Finally, Minnesota law currently penalizes PUP and the use of false IDs and no further
enforcement is needed at the local level.
Some of these concerns may be alleviated by offering alternative non-criminal, non-
monetary penalties as suggested below in section 11(B)(3).
For further reading on the history of PUP laws and the disproportionate enforcement
of laws against youth of color and indigenous youth, please see Minnesota Juvenile
Justice Advisory Committee’s report, 2016 Annual Report to Governor Mark Dayton and
the Minnesota State Legislature (2016) and Wakefield, M., & Giovino, G. (2003). Teen
penalties for tobacco possession, use, and purchase: evidence and issues. Tobacco Control,
12(suppl 1), i6–i13.
Section 10. Exceptions and Defenses.
(A) Religious, Spiritual, or Cultural Ceremonies or Practices. Nothing in this ordinance prevents
the provision of tobacco or tobacco-related devices to any person as part of an indigenous
practice or a lawfully recognized religious, spiritual, or cultural ceremony or practice.
(B) Reasonable Reliance. It is an affirmative defense to a violation of this ordinance for a
person to have reasonably relied on proof of age as described by state law.
Section 11. Violations and Penalties.
(A) Violations.
(1) Notice. A person violating this ordinance may be issued, either personally or by
mail, a citation from the city that sets forth the alleged violation and that informs the
alleged violator of his or her right to a hearing on the matter and how and where a
hearing may be requested, including a contact address and phone number.
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(2) Hearings.
(a) Upon issuance of a citation, a person accused of violating this ordinance may
request in writing a hearing on the matter. Hearing requests must be made within 10
business days of the issuance of the citation and delivered to the City Clerk or other
designated city officer. Failure to properly request a hearing within 10 business days
of the issuance of the citation will terminate the person’s right to a hearing.
(b) The City Clerk or other designated city officer will set the time and place for the
hearing. Written notice of the hearing time and place will be mailed or delivered to
the accused violator at least 10 business days prior to the hearing.
(3) Hearing Officer. The City Council will designate a hearing officer. The hearing officer
will be an impartial employee of the city or an impartial person retained by the city to
conduct the hearing.
(4) Decision. A decision will be issued by the hearing officer within 10 business days of
the hearing. If the hearing officer determines that a violation of this ordinance did
occur, that decision, along with the hearing officer’s reasons for finding a violation
and the penalty to be imposed, will be recorded in writing, a copy of which will be
provided to the city and the accused violator by in-person delivery or mail as soon as
practicable. If the hearing officer finds that no violation occurred or finds grounds for
not imposing any penalty, those findings will be recorded and a copy will be provided
to the city and the acquitted accused violator by in-person delivery or mail as soon
as practicable. The decision of the hearing officer is final, subject to an appeal as
described in section 11, division (A)(6) of this section.
(5) Costs. If the citation is upheld by the hearing officer, the city’s actual expenses in
holding the hearing up to a maximum of [ $1,000 ] must be paid by the person
requesting the hearing.
(6) Appeals. Appeals of any decision made by the hearing officer must be filed in
[ ___________ ] County district court within 10 business days of the date of the decision.
(7) Continued violation. Each violation, and every day in which a violation occurs or
continues, shall constitute a separate offense.
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(B) Administrative penalties.
(1) Licensees. Any licensee found to have violated this ordinance, or whose employee
violated this ordinance, will be charged an administrative fine of [ $200 ] for a first
violation; [ $500 ] for a second offense at the same licensed premises within a 24-month
period; and [ $750 ] for a third or subsequent offense at the same location within a
24-month period. Upon the third violation, the license will be suspended for a period of
not less than [ 30 ] consecutive days. Upon a fourth violation, the license will be revoked.
(2) Other individuals. Individuals, other than persons under the age of 21 regulated by
division (B)(3) of this section, who are found to be in violation of this ordinance will
be charged an administrative fine of [ $50 ].
(3) Persons under the Age of 21. Persons under the age of 21 who use a false
identification to purchase or attempt to purchase licensed products may only be
subject to non-criminal, non-monetary civil penalties such as tobacco-related
education classes, diversion programs, community services, or another penalty
that the city determines to be appropriate. The City Council will consult with court
personnel, educators, parents, children and other interested parties to determine an
appropriate penalty for persons under the age of 21 in the city. The penalty may be
established by ordinance and amended from time to time.
(4) Statutory penalties. If the administrative penalty authorized to be imposed by Minn.
Stat. § 461.12, as it may be amended from time to time, differ from that established in
this section, then the higher penalty will prevail.
(C) Misdemeanor prosecution. Nothing in this section prohibits the city from seeking
prosecution as a misdemeanor for any alleged violation of this ordinance by a person 21
years of age or older.
Section 12. Severability.
If any section or provision of this ordinance is held invalid, such invalidity will not affect other
sections or provisions that can be given force and effect without the invalidated section or provision.
Section 13. Effective Date.
This ordinance becomes effective on the date of its publication, or upon the publication of a
summary of the ordinance as provided by Minn. Stat. § 412.191, subd. 4, as it may be amended
from time to time, which meets the requirements of Minn. Stat. § 331A.01, subd. 10, as it may
be amended from time to time.
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