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Young residents and public-health advocates urge Minnetonka to enforce flavored-tobacco ban
Summary
High-school students and public-health advocates told the council Nov. 24 that Minnetonka’s ordinance limiting sales of flavored tobacco to 21+ tobacco stores is not being enforced; a physician called for an independent external review and formation of a community health board.
Students and public-health advocates urged Minnetonka City Council on Nov. 24 to enforce the city’s ordinance that restricts the sale of flavored commercial tobacco products to tobacco retailers that limit entry to customers 21 and older.
Jada Silver, a Minnetonka High School senior and member of the My Health youth advisory board, said she regularly sees colorful flavored e-cigarette products prominently displayed at convenience stores and gas stations and told the council the existing ordinance is “not being enforced.” She said flavored products such as “blue slushy” and “orange creamsicle” are often sold at counters next to candy and attract young buyers.
Other students reinforced that message. Nikita Netraj and Chloe Zhao, both seniors and youth-advisory-board members, described vaping’s impact among middle- and high-school peers and said the current policy’s sales restrictions have failed to prevent youth access.
Dr. Caleb Schultz, a physician and public-health advocate who said he conducted recent compliance checks, told the council that July 2024 retailer checks shown to advocates and subsequent spot checks found flavored products widely available. He said he conducted checks at 15 locations and continued to find flavors being sold. Schultz said advocates received delays or no response after filing reports through the city’s portal and asked for a transparent, independent external review to determine why enforcement lapsed; he also proposed forming a community health board to assist city efforts.
City staff and council did not take an immediate enforcement action during the public-comment period; the mayor noted the council hears public comment and referred the matter to staff for follow-up. Advocates asked who is accountable for the multi-year non-enforcement and where ultimate responsibility resides.
The transcript references the city’s existing ordinance that limits flavored-tobacco sales to 21+ tobacco stores; speakers asked staff and council to clarify enforcement steps and timelines. No formal directive, independent-review commission or staff report date was announced on the record during the meeting.
