Minnesota

ST. PAUL, MINN – The Minnesota House and Senate voted today to pass a $1.60 increase in the price per pack of cigarettes. This bold decision will save lives and save the state health care costs.

By raising the price of cigarettes, 47,700 Minnesota kids will not become tobacco-addicted adults; 36,600 current Minnesota smokers will have the motivation to quit; 25,700 Minnesotans will be saved from premature smoking-related deaths; nearly $400 million will be generated in revenue for the biennium and Minnesota will save $1.65 billion in long-term health care costs.

“We are pleased that the Minnesota Legislature listened to the public and made the right decision to raise the price of cigarettes. This will save our kids from ever starting a life-threatening tobacco addiction and motivate more Minnesotans to quit,” said Rachel Callanan, regional vice president of advocacy for the American Heart Association in Minnesota. “Through tobacco-related heart disease and cancer, tobacco kills more Minnesotans than alcohol, homicides, car accidents, AIDS, illegal drugs and suicide combined. This is one of the most effective steps to reduce the harmful effects of tobacco in Minnesota.”

A recent poll by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota showed that 66 percent of Minnesotans support a cigarette tax increase and 60 percent believed the legislature should be doing more to prevent tobacco’s harm in Minnesota.

“Thanks to our dedicated advocates, volunteers, testifiers, legislative authors, coalition partners and everyone who spoke up on this important issue, the Legislature heard the message loud and clear,” Callanan added.

Gov. Mark Dayton signed the bill Thursday May 23, 2013.

Make sure to thank your lawmakers for choosing kids, not big tobacco by taking action here: http://yourethecure.org/aha/advocacy/composeletters.aspx?AlertID=32981 

Justin wanted to make sure you saw this great news release from the Minnesota Department of Health on stroke in Minnesota:

In recent years, Minnesota has made significant progress in reducing hospitalizations for heart attacks but rates of stroke hospitalizations have remained stubbornly steady.

Since 2005, the number of stroke hospitalizations has remained between 11,000 and 12,000 a year, even though the total number of hospitalizations for heart attack has declined almost 15 percent from a high of 9,740 in 2005, according to MDH research.

During 2011, more than 85,000 Minnesotans, or 2.1 percent of adults, reported having had a stroke in their lifetime. Hospitalization data from 2011 show 11,570 hospitalizations for stroke in 2011. The total inpatient charges for these hospitalizations was $414.1 million, an increase of $47 million in just two years.

A stroke is a "brain attack" that occurs when blood flow to tissues in the brain is interrupted. Strokes can lead to permanent disability and death. To help raise awareness about stroke in Minnesota, Governor Mark Dayton has proclaimed May as Stroke Awareness Month in Minnesota. May is also National Stroke Awareness Month.

"The reality of stroke is that if you're having one, you need to get to the hospital fast," said Dr. Ed Ehlinger, Minnesota commissioner of health, "but our goal is for Minnesota to do a better job of managing blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking and other risk factors for stroke, so people never have to experience this life threatening emergency."

In 2010, stroke was the third-leading cause of death in Minnesota, with 2,163 deaths.

One key strategy MDH advocates to help prevent stroke hospitalizations is for doctors and providers to deliver a heightened level of care to patients who have experienced a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or a "mini-stroke," which is a temporary interruption of blood flow in the brain that does not cause permanent damage. After a "mini-stroke," patients are at a higher risk for full blown stroke and should work with their doctor to explore treatment options such as aggressively controlling their blood pressure, taking blood-thinning medications, stopping smoking, and avoiding heavy drinking.

Ehlinger urged Minnesotans to learn the warning signs and symptoms of stroke. "One of the really concerning things about stroke is that only about half of Minnesotans know the five major signs of a stroke," Ehlinger said "When it comes to strokes we say that time lost is brain lost. So make sure you know the signs, err on the side of safety and call 9-1-1."

An easy way to remember how to recognize a stroke is FAST:

• F - Face drooping. Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? To check, ask the person to smile, and see if one side doesn't move normally.
• A - Arm weakness. Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
• S - Speech difficulty. Is speech slurred, are they unable to speak, or are they are they hard to understand?
• T - Time to call 9-1-1. If the person shows ANY of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 9-1-1 and get them to a hospital immediately.

The signs and symptoms of stroke are the following:

• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side.
• Sudden confusion or trouble understanding.
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness or loss of balance.
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause.

More information about stroke and its risk factors is available from MDH's Heart Disease & Stroke Prevention Unit at http://www.health.state.mn.us/cvh/.

For more information on the signs and symptoms of stroke and access to resources for stroke survivors, please visit the Minnesota Stroke Association's website at http://www.strokemn.org/.

For more information about cardiovascular diseases and stroke, visit the Minnesota Affiliate of the American Heart Association's website at http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Affiliate/Minneapolis/Minnesota/Home_UCM_MWA009_AffiliatePage.jsp.

Health professionals looking for more information on how to conduct stroke community education events can find resources at the Minnesota Stroke Partnership's website at http://www.mnstrokepartnership.org/.
NOTE: A 30-second public service announcement about the signs and symptoms of a stroke is available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5APe_Na75m8.

As you probably already know, May is Stroke Month!  What better way to celebrate stroke awareness than to take a few minutes and learn about the stroke systems bill we are advocating for in Minnesota.

Every year there are nearly 12,000 hospital admissions in Minnesota due to stroke, and a new effort aims to help more survivors return to a normal life, instead of being permanently disabled.

According to state Representative Nick Zerwas, the Minnesota Acute Stroke System is needed to ensure access and high quality of care to all, especially in rural parts, where the population is older and there are fewer nearby options for treatment.

"We need to make sure that no matter where you are in the state of Minnesota we have this established network so everybody has a chance for interventional life-saving procedures and the opportunity to recover," Zerwas declared.

Read the rest of the story here.

http://www.envisionmn.org/our-news/

The following is adapted from the Envision Minnesota press release at the web site above:

Northfield, MN took a stand last year for streets that work for all our residents. Now that policy is being recognized by a national coalition of Complete Streets advocates.

The National Complete Streets Coalition, based in Washington, DC, helps towns and cities across the country design streets with all users in mind, whether young or old, motorist or bicyclist, walker or wheelchair user, bus rider or shopkeeper.

In April 2013, the Coalition released its Top 10 Complete Streets policies of 2012. Number 5 on the list was Northfield’s Complete Streets Policy.

"Northfield’s Complete Streets policy will help make getting around the city safer and more convenient for everyone,” said Lee Helgen, executive director of Envision Minnesota. “It’s an important issue, and this recognition shows we did it right. Everyone who was involved in passing this policy should be very proud today.”

“Community collaboration over 2011 and 2012 created Northfield’s policy,” said Betsey Buckheit, former City Council member. "Then college seniors Ben Hellerstein (Carleton College) and Sean Hayford O’Leary (St. Olaf College) were instrumental in organizing a college-community group which solicited letters of support from local groups including the school district, bike trail supporters, and others to ask the City to develop a policy. The Council appointed a task force of Council members, city staff, and members of the City’s Planning and Environmental Quality Commission to draft the policy which was adopted unanimously by the Council on July 17, 2012."

"Northfield’s Complete Streets policy is one of the best in the country,” said Stefanie Seskin, Deputy Director of the National Complete Streets Coalition. “We want to recognize Northfield’s leadership in this field, and also to show other cities across the country what a great Complete Streets policy looks like. Northfield has done that extremely well.”

The Top 10 Complete Streets policies of 2012 was released on April 8, 2013 as part of the 2012 Complete Streets Policy Analysis. For more information, and to download the report, see: http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/complete-streets-2012-analysis

To learn more about Northfield's Complete Streets Policy, see the City's web site at http://www.ci.northfield.mn.us/index.aspx?NID=732

A new poll released today by the Raise it for Health coalition shows that 66 percent of Minnesotans support raising the tobacco tax by $1.50 per pack to address Minnesota’s budget deficit, help addicted smokers quit and keep kids from starting to smoke.  Read more here.

Then, help us raise the tobacco tax in Minnesota by urging the tax omnibus bill conference committee to support the House proposal of a $1.60 increase in tobacco tax when you take action here.

Rachel wanted me to make sure you saw this article on keeping our kids active.

Today is the first day of Screen-Free Week, an annual effort to get kids unleashed from the grip of electronic devices - if only for a few days.

According to Dr. Susan Linn, director of Campaign for Commercial Free Childhood, the idea is to get kids away from video games, smartphones, tablets and TVs and get them to read, explore nature and spend time with friends and family.

"It's not even that screens are necessarily 'bad guys' - except for babies - but it's just that there's too much of them in our lives and way too much of them in children's lives and it's important to take a break," she declared.  Read the rest of the story here.

You're invited to help develop recommendations for the new Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) by attending a focus group discussion at one of three locations (or online) throughout the state.

This is your chance to give input about setting priorities for administering the TAP, including identifying a process for how projects are selected.

Recommendations from the focus groups will be presented directly to MnDOT's leadership.

May 1, 2013 1-5 p.m.
MnDOT District 7 Headquarters
2151 Bassett Dr.
Mankato, MN 56001

May 6, 2013 1-5 p.m.
Minneapolis Central Library
300 Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis, MN 55401

May 8, 2013 1-5 p.m.
MnDOT District 1 Headquarters
1123 Mesaba Ave
Duluth, MN 55811

May 9, 2013 1-5 p.m.
Online via webcast - watch for webcast link here
and through an email to registrants

 Click here to register

Rachel wanted me to share this Letter to the Editor, by Dr. David Tilstra, President of CentraCare Clinic on Safe Routes to School.

CentraCare Health System strives to improve the health of Central Minnesota residents. Encouraging community members, especially school-age youth, to walk and bike more frequently is one route.

The number of students who walk or bike to school has dropped dramatically compared with a generation ago ... because the habits and lifestyles one develops in youth will follow you through life. A lack of physical activity starting in youth is a key contributor to the obesity epidemic.

Walking and biking to school is not only good for a student’s long-term health, it is good for academic performance. There are many credible studies that show a direct correlation between physically fit students and test scores. Read the rest of the article.

April 18 was the Raise It For Health Coalition Day at the Capitol.  Minnesota advocates gathered in St. Paul to lobby legislators to increase the tobacco tax. Despite the lovely weather, we had a great turnout and amazing, positive energy throughout the day. We had over 200 people in attendance—demonstrating that hardy Minnesotans will NOT be deterred by a little rain, freezing ice pellets, and several inches of snow to top it off!

Young volunteers greeted Governor Mark Dayton in the Capitol Rotunda with a banner thanking him for increasing the tobacco tax and choosing kids over the tobacco industry (photo).

Bobby Z, drummer for Prince and the Revolution, heart attack survivor, You’re the Cure advocate, and literally AHA’s rock star volunteer, spoke after the governor to a packed room in the Rotunda. He got the crowd energized and ready to go ask lawmakers to increase the price of tobacco (photo).

It’s not too late for you to weigh in on this issue. Take action now  and ask your friends to do the same!  Legislators are getting the message that NOW IS THE TIME to increase the price of tobacco in Minnesota. But they need to hear from you!

Rachel wanted me to share this article on healthier food menus for students in Minneapolis.

The students scarfing down wheatberry salad, orange chicken or black bean burgers at Washburn High School may not know it, but they’re part of a grand gamble by the Minneapolis school lunch folks.

They’re getting more choices and good nutrition this year, as are students at high schools across the district. But that comes at a cost. Two prep cooks and a food service assistant have been added at Washburn, bring the food staff to seven people and raising the cost of production.

To offset that, the school needs to sell more lunches.

So far, it’s paying off. Head cook Betty Danielson said that last year Washburn sold an average of 525 lunches per day. That meant that less than half the students were buying them. Now on a typical day the school sells at least 660 lunches and has topped 700. Read the rest of the article.