"As a cancer caregiver, I have seen the devastating impact of cancer. My dad passed away from lung cancer due to smoking. That’s why I was encouraged to see so many Minnesotans rally behind Tobacco 21. The Legislature is continuing to discuss this issue, and I’m asking Sen. Michelle Benson to make sure Tobacco 21 becomes law. There are 12 states across the country, and 32 communities in Minnesota, that have already raised the minimum age of tobacco sales to 21 years old. With

“Well, we did it when we were their age.” This common refrain, popular among parents with a permissive attitude toward underage drinking, is often coupled with well-intentioned efforts to keep adolescents safe while consuming alcohol: Think encouraging alcohol-imbibing teens to take advantage of ride programs like Uber, to spend the night at a friend’s house, or to drink in one’s own home as opposed to unknown settings. Referred to by social scientists as “harm reduction,” th

"They call it fresh skunk, the odor cloud or sometimes just the stink. Mike Wondolowski often finds himself in the middle of it. He may be on the chaise longue on his patio, at his computer in the house, or tending to his orange and lemon trees in the garden when the powerful, nauseating stench descends on him. Mr. Wondolowski lives a half-mile away from greenhouses that were originally built to grow daisies and chrysanthemums but now house thousands of marijuana plants, part

Do you recall seeing the “Talk Early, Talk Often” campaign over the last couple of years? This campaign was developed to help educate and empower parents and caregivers to have ongoing conversations with the young people in their lives around drugs and alcohol. Although the coalition wants adults to have conversations on all drugs, we are specifically working to create awareness of issues surrounding youth electronic cigarette use and its adverse effects. While popular opin