Extinguishing the tobacco epidemic in Minnesota

MINNESOTA KEY FACTS In 2015, 31.4% of U.S. high school youth reported currently using any tobacco product, including e-cigarettes. Among U.S. high school youth, 10.8% reported currently smoking cigarettes. PUBLIC HEALTH RESPONSE TO TOBACCO USE IN MINNESOTA Minnesota’s tobacco prevention and control program is working to eliminate barriers to help smokers quit for good. Most smokers try a number of times to quit successfully, so eliminating barriers to quitting, such as copayments for treatment or limits on the number of quit attempts covered by insurance, are critical ways to help smokers quit. To help low-income smokers quit, the Minnesota tobacco program and the state Medicaid program worked to eliminate copayments on tobacco cessation medication for Medicaid recipients. The state also conducted direct outreach to Medicaid providers to train them on the benefit and help them understand how the benefit works. The state also developed public service announcements that emphasized the no-cost benefits of medications and cessation counseling to the state’s Medicaid population. For more information on tobacco prevention and control, visit cdc.gov/tobacco.

Stephen B. Thacker CDC Library collection