To the Editor On behalf of the 700 Allina employees and clinicians serving the Buffalo community, we strongly support consideration to raise the tobacco sales age to 21. Allina Health is a not-for-profit network of hospitals, clinics and other health care services, providing care throughout Minnesota and western Wisconsin. We are dedicated to the prevention and treatment of illness, as well as enhancing the greater health of individuals, families and communities. Here in Buffalo, we are proud to offer a full complement of primary and specialty care, home medical equipment, pharmacy and community hospital services. We see first-hand the negative impact of tobacco use on the health of Minnesotans. Smoking costs Minnesota more than $3 billion annually in excess health care costs, and each year the tobacco industry spends millions of dollars marketing to youth and recruiting replacement customers. Besides premature death, many Americans who use tobacco live with chronic diseases such as lung, oral and pharyngeal cancer. The tobacco industry actively markets to young people with fruit and candy flavored tobacco products. Increasing the tobacco sales age would reduce youth access to these harmful products and prevent a lifetime of addiction. Tobacco 21 also prevents youth smoking by creating barriers to getting tobacco products from social sources. Most kids get cigarettes from older friends. Raising the tobacco sale age to 21 will help get cigarettes out of high schools, where there are plenty of 18-year-olds but no 21-year-olds. Ultimately, a Minnesota-specific study found that if the age of sale was raised to 21, it would prevent at least 30,000 youth from smoking over the next 15 years. We fully support increasing the age to purchase tobacco to 21 years in Wright County. Sincerely, Kelly J. Spratt President, Buffalo Hospitalpart of Allina Health
To the Editor In my many years as a Trooper with the Minnesota State Patrol, I’ve enforced seat belt use and educated motorists about its life-saving importance. While I’ve issued many citations, writing tickets is not my goal. My hope is that I can educate each motorist with whom I come in contact, help change their behavior, and prevent unnecessary injuries and deaths. Minnesota has a primary seat belt law, which means drivers and all passengers must be buckled up or in the correct child restraint at all times. Law enforcement can stop motorists or passengers for belt violations. This law has saved lives and has helped Minnesota reach a seat belt compliance rate of 94 percent. While most people are buckling up, we’re still seeing horrible consequences for Minnesotans who decide not to “click it” before they drive. Preliminary numbers show that half of those killed in car crashes so far this year were not buckled up. Seat belts are your first line of defense. The chances of surviving a crash if you are ejected from your vehicle are very slim. Before you start driving, buckle up and refuse to drive until everyone in your car is belted. You may be the best driver on the road, but you cannot control how other drivers behave. You are just a click away from living another day. Sincerely, Trooper Kevin Brisk MN State Patrol Safe Communities of Wright County Board of Directors