Still Smoking in Minnesota? Prices Going Up Again- Double Digits

The battle to quit smoking.  This is been a long time coming as many things have been put into place to try and make it more and more difficult for people who still smoke to stop.  It's getting more difficult.  First it was no smoking in bars and restaurants.  Then it was no smoking within a certain amount of feet from an entrance to a building.  Some towns completely banned it.  And the price of tobacco products got super expensive. It's getting worse.

According to Bring Me the News, St. Paul is now considering an ordinance that would raise the price of a single pack of cigarettes to $10 minimum.  And the rest of Minnesota could follow suit.  This would make tobacco restrictions among the toughest in the country.

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Providence, Rhode Island and New York have similar restrictive policies already in place.

The average price of a pack of cigarettes right now is $8.40.  How much of that is taxes? $3.67 per pack.

This proposed ordinance would also limit the amount of tobacco licenses in the city.  Currently it is a t 190, it would be reduced to 150. This doesn't mean that stores that already have a tobacco license would lose theirs, but anyone who would want a license would have to wait until one becomes available.

The fines would also increase for selling to a minor.  Currently the fine is $200, it would increase to $400 if the ordinance passes.

Again, this is only in St. Paul for now.  But if it is successful, could become more widespread throughout the state.