Hometown Source
To the Editor:
Big Tobacco has been up to some unsavory practices. In Minnesota, they have been targeting our youth with flavored tobacco products.
Big Tobacco has caused our state’s youth tobacco crisis and they’ve done it, in part, by spending millions to market flavored products.
Studies show that 97 percent of youth e-cigarette users report using a flavored product in the past month and 70 percent cite flavors as a reason for their use. The use of any flavored tobacco product among youth is concerning because it exposes them to a potential lifetime of tobacco addiction, disease and premature death.
I am a certified tumor registrar (CTR). Since 1993, I have dedicated my professional career to managing cancer data collection, including calculating survival statistics. I know first hand about the consequences caused by tobacco usage. It is painful to hear about our youth using flavored tobacco products and exposing themselves to potential harm. I have been in email contact with Representative Stephenson who has expressed his 100 percent support of HF 3032.
This crisis has gotten too big for any one person to stop it. We need our legislators to step up and end the sale of these deadly products. Thank you, Representative Stephenson, for protecting Minnesota kids from tobacco addiction.
Jane Siekkinen
Resident of Champlin
