Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now
Sign up
*
Password must be at least 8 characters and contain one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number and one symbol
Already have an account?
Sign in to your profile
Forgot Password?
New to MPR News?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Reset Password

Enter the username on file and we'll send you a code to reset your password.

Still require assistance or not sure what your User Name is?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Email Verification

A verification code has been emailed to

Still awaiting the code?
St. Paul, Minn.

No more "loosies" in St. Paul

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Single cigarettes
Some merchants in St. Paul are apparently selling individual cigarettes, and the city council has just outlawed the practice.
MPR Photo/Melanie Sommer

(AP) - The St. Paul City Council has voted to ban the sale of single -- or loose -- cigarettes, also called "loosies."

The council cites the lack of health warning labels on single cigs and says their cheapness makes them attractive to minors and the poor.

Council President Kathy Lantry proposed the ordinance. She got complaints from neighbors about the sale of loosies, which are usually found at convenience stores, gas stations and liquor stores.

Research indicates the sale of loosies dates to the 1930s, when Depression-era men and women couldn't afford a full pack of cigarettes.

(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Gallery
1 of 1
Single cigarettes
Some merchants in St. Paul are apparently selling individual cigarettes, and the city council has just outlawed the practice.
MPR Photo/Melanie Sommer