St. Paul considers limit on cheap cigars

The St. Paul City Council is considering new restrictions on the sale of inexpensive cigars. Cheap cigars that come in a variety of fruity flavors are designed to hook kids on smoking, said Alicia Leizinger of the Ramsey Tobacco Coalition.

Leizinger said cheap cigars are designed to hook kids on smoking. They come in a variety of fruity flavors and often cost around 50 cents apiece, or three for a dollar.

The proposed St. Paul ordinance would require that they be sold in packs of five or more. Leizinger said the goal is to boost the price, just a little.

"I think for us as adults, we think, oh, what's a dollar more?" she said. "But for a kid on a limited income, a dollar is quite a bit of money."

Cigars that cost more than $2.10 apiece would be exempt from the requirement.

The St. Paul Chamber of commerce opposes the ordinance. It argues tobacco regulation is the state's job. Matt Kramer, president of the chamber, said there are better ways to achieve that goal.

"No civic entity, whether at the federal, state, county or the local level, should be introducing new laws if they're not enforcing the ones that they already have on the books," he said. "You can't legally sell tobacco to minors. How about you enforce that, and then we don't have to worry about this kids smoking business?"

Kramer also said the ordinance would harm St. Paul tobacco retailers.

Brooklyn Center has passed a similar ordinance, as has Boston. The St. Paul City Council was to hold a public hearing on the proposed ordinance Wednesday evening.