St. Paul approves new tobacco restrictions, including $10 minimum for packs of cigarettes

Wednesday, the St. Paul City Council unanimously approved an ordinance that sets new restrictions on tobacco sales in the city.

The new ordinance, which is expected to take effect on Dec. 3, is one of the strictest tobacco ordinances in the country, supporters say.

The new ordinance includes the following restrictions:

• A $10 minimum price for cigarette packs and standard cans of smokeless tobacco.
• A prohibition on the use of coupons or promotions on all commercial tobacco products.
• Two classes of tobacco licenses — one for businesses that sell tobacco, like convenience stores, and one for primarily tobacco sales-focused businesses.
• A distance requirement of a half-mile between retailers that sell tobacco.
• A prohibition on selling menthol and flavored tobacco products in liquor stores.
• A plan to reduce the number of tobacco licenses to 150. There are currently 190 licensed sellers in the city.