Minnesota has a long history of leadership in tobacco control, dating back to a 1975 Clean Indoor Air law limiting smoking indoors. In 1998, a settlement was reached to a lawsuit the state and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota had brought against cigarette manufacturers and related trade associations accusing them of failing to disclose information about the dangers and addictive qualities of cigarettes. As part of the settlement, the nonprofit organization ClearWay MinnesotaSM was created to reduce tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke through research, action, and collaboration.
