Key Points: 

• Minnesota’s vaping industry provided more than $336 million in economic activity in 2018 while generating 1,152 direct vaping-related jobs. The national average of sales of disposables and prefilled cartridges exceeded $2.6 million in 2016.

• As of December 30, 2019, MDH has reported 141 confirmed or probable cases of vaping-related lung illnesses, including three deaths. MDH does not offer further information, but reported that two of the deceased patients had vaped THC. MDH earns a C for its reporting on vaping-related lung illnesses.

• In 2019, only 1.5 percent of Minnesota 9th and 11th grade students reported daily e-cigarette use, and 89.2 percent reported not using e-cigarettes in the previous 30 days. More data is needed.   

• Only 2 percent of FDA retail compliance checks in Minnesota resulted in sales of e-cigarettes to minors from January 1, 2018 to September 30, 2019.

• Minnesota spends very little on tobacco prevention. In 2019, Minnesota dedicated only $17.3 million or 2 percent of what the state received in tobacco settlement payments and taxes.