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County health officials urge Brooklyn Park to study comprehensive flavored‑tobacco limits and smoke‑free housing
Summary
Hennepin County public‑health staff and Tobacco Free Alliance partners told the Brooklyn Park Council that comprehensive bans on flavored tobacco produce the largest public‑health benefits, and urged more community outreach and school coordination before any local action.
Jackie Seabert, a planner with Hennepin County Public Health, told the Brooklyn Park City Council that commercial tobacco remains the leading cause of death in the United States and that flavored products are a primary driver of youth use and health disparities. "Commercial tobacco is still the number 1 cause of death in the United States," Seabert said during the council work session, and she summarized a 2024 county retail assessment that found high availability of flavored products across Brooklyn Park retailers.
Elise Levine of Tobacco Free Alliance said menthol ‘‘isn't just a flavor’’ and argued it increases nicotine addiction and youth uptake. Levine highlighted county and school data showing that a large majority of young people…
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