Tobacco use: Minnesota 2026

Cigarette use: Minnesota*

• In 2024, 10.2% of adults in Minnesota smoked. Nationally, the adult cigarette smoking prevalence was 11.6%.

• In 2018-2019, 22.1% of adults who smoked in Minnesota smoked menthol cigarettes. Nationally, 32.3% of adult smokers used menthol cigarettes during this period.

• In 2023, 4.5% of high school students in Minnesota smoked cigarettes on at least one day in the past 30 days.

Other tobacco product use: Minnesota*

• In 2024, 7.1% of adults in Minnesota used e-cigarettes. Nationally, the adult e-cigarette use prevalence was 8.0%.

• In 2024, 3.5% of adults in Minnesota used smokeless tobacco every day or some days. Nationally, the adult smokeless tobacco use prevalence was 3.4%.

• In 2023, 13.9% of high school students in Minnesota used electronic vapor products on at least one day in the past 30 days.

• In 2023, 2.0% of high school students in Minnesota used chewing tobacco, snuff or dip on at least one day in the past 30 days.

• In 2023, 4.0% of high school students in Minnesota smoke cigars, cigarillos or little cigars on at least one day in the past 30 days.

Economics of tobacco use and tobacco control

• Minnesota received $597.1 million (estimated) in revenue from tobacco settlement payments and taxes in fiscal year 2026.

• Of this, the state allocated $13.7 million in state funds to tobacco prevention in fiscal year 2026, 25.9% of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's annual spending target.

• Smoking-caused health care costs: $2.92 billion per year.

• Smoking-caused losses in productivity: $5.4 billion per year.

Minnesota tobacco laws

Tobacco taxes

• Minnesota is ranked 11th in the U.S. for its cigarette tax of $3.04 per pack (enacted January 2018), compared to the national average of $2.05. (New York has the highest tax at $5.35 and Missouri has the lowest at 17 cents.)

• Moist snuff is taxed at 95% or $3.04/container weighing not more than 1.2 ounces, and the same tax is proportionately assessed on containers weighing more than 1.2 ounces. Premium cigars are taxed at 95% of the wholesale or 50 cents per cigar, whichever is less. All other tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, are taxed at 95% of the wholesale sales price.

Clean indoor air ordinances

• Smoking is prohibited in all government workplaces (workplaces with two or fewer employees are exempt), private workplaces (workplaces with two or fewer employees are exempt), schools, childcare facilities, restaurants, bars, casinos/gaming establishments (tribal establishments are exempt), and retail stores.

• E-cigarettes are prohibited in all public places, including places of employment and public transportation, day care and health facilities, government owned or operated buildings, facilities owned by Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, the University of Minnesota, facilities licensed by the commissioner of human services and those licensed by the commissioner of health (with some exceptions), and public charter schools and any facility of vehicle owned, rented, or leased by a school district.

• E-cigarettes are included in the state's indoor air laws and the state's definition of smoking and tobacco products.

Licensing laws

• Retailers and wholesalers are required to obtain a license to sell tobacco products.

• A license is required to sell and distribute e-cigarette products.

Youth access laws

• In December 2019, the United States adopted a law raising the federal minimum age of sale of all tobacco products to 21, effective immediately.

• Establishments are required to post signs stating that sales to people under 21 are prohibited.

• People under 21 are prohibited from buying nicotine delivery products, including e-cigarettes.

• Self-service displays and sales are prohibited, except in adult-only facilities. Sale of electronic delivery devices from a moveable place of business (kiosk) is prohibited.

• Delivery sales occurring after December 31, 2021 by an out-of-state retailer must file a statement with the Department of Revenue.

Local tobacco laws

• Bloomington will not issue any new tobacco licenses in the future and will eliminate licenses of stores with tobacco licenses when they close, with a goal of ending all tobacco sales through attrition.

• Brown's Valley, St. Louis Park, Traverse County, and Wheaton prohibit the sale of all e-cigarettes.

• 29 localities in Minnesota have laws that restrict the sale of flavored tobacco products, with variances for comprehensive laws and exemptions for flavors, types of tobacco products, and retailers.

• In Robbinsdale, the minimum price for cigars (after coupons and discounts have been applied and before sales tax) is $2.60 for a single cigar, $5.20 for a 2-pack or "double" pack, $7.80 for a 3-pack, and $10.40 for packs with four or more cigars.

• In Minneapolis and St. Paul, the minimum price for cigars (after coupons, promotions, or discounts and before sales tax) is $2.60 for a single cigar (if the pack contains three or fewer cigars) and $10.40 per package (if the pack contains four or more cigars).

• Dilworth set a minimum price of $15.00 (after discounts are applied and before sales tax) for a pack of cigars of at least packs of five (does not prohibit the sale of single cigars of at least $4.00).

• Hennepin County prohibits the sale of cigars that cost less than $3.00 each (after discounts are applied and before sales tax).

• Golden Valley, Renville County, Rock County, and Rushford prohibit the sale of tobacco products in pharmacies.

• St. Anthony Village caps the number of tobacco retail licenses at zero and sets the minimum price for cigars, cigarettes, moist snuff, and snus at $15 per unit, and e-cigarettes at $20 per unit.

• Clay county prohibits the sale of all e-cigarettes at county licensed stores.

• Minneapolis sets the minimum price of e-cigarettes to $25.

Quitting statistics and benefits

• The CDC estimates 44.9% of daily adult smokers in Minnesota quit smoking for one or more days in 2019.

• In 2014, the Affordable Care Act required that Medicaid programs cover all tobacco cessation medications.**

• Minnesota's state quit line invests $6.03 per smoker, compared to the national median of $2.62.

• Minnesota has a private insurance mandate provision for cessation.

Notes and references