Oregon gets mixed grades on tobacco control efforts

(Update: More details, reaction)

American Lung Association seeks flavored tobacco ban, higher taxes

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The American Lung Association on Wednesday gave Oregon a decidedly mixed grade on its tobacco control efforts: A grades in some areas, flunking or nearly so in the rest.

The organization released its 18th annual “State of Tobacco Control” report. It tracks progress on key tobacco control policies at the federal and state levels, assigning grades based on efforts in 2019 to reduce and prevent tobacco use and tobacco-caused death and disease.

Oregon received mixed grades in the report, which also identified opportunities for both the federal government and states to improve grades in 2020.

Oregon received two A grades, for smoke-free air (its Clean Indoor Air Act) and Tobacco 21, having raised the age to purchase cigarettes to 21.

But it was found to have an F grade for tobacco prevention and cessation funding and tobacco taxes, and a D grade for access to cessation services.

The need for Oregon to take action to protect youth from all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, is more urgent than ever, with the youth vaping epidemic continuing its alarming rise to 27.5%, or more than one in four high school students, the organization said.

That's a staggering 135% increase in high school e-cigarette use in just the past two years, and close to 3 million more kids started vaping in that time period, setting them up for a lifetime of addiction.

The American Lung Association says 3% of middle school students are already smoking and 19% of high school students in Oregon say they use tobacco.

“In Oregon alone, there are nearly half a million current smokers,” said Carrie Nyssen, senior director of advocacy for the American Lung Association in Oregon. “And with the youth vaping epidemic still rising, we may have squandered an opportunity to make the current generation of kids the first tobacco-free generation. Tobacco use is a serious addiction, and Oregon can and should do more."

The organization called on Oregon's elected officials to ban the sale of all flavored tobacco products, including electronic cigarettes, and to increase state funding for tobacco prevention and cessation programs.

Nyssen believes increasing taxes on tobacco would also help decrease tobacco use.

"Raising tobacco prices is actually one of the best tools we have in our tool kit," Nyssen said. For every 10% increase in the tobacco tax, studies have shown you're going to see 7% decrease in youth use, and a 4% decrease in overall consumption. This November, Oregonians will have a chance to vote on the increase of tobacco tax."

A Bend man who uses tobacco products said he does not agree with the state raising taxes.

"They keep going up, and to me it's just one of those things that the state of Oregon has gotten really bad at taxing people," Rick Davis shared. "They're always thinking of something for more taxes and more taxes. Everyone is getting tired of paying more taxes, when you see how the government is wasting it."

To read more about the latest report's Oregon grades, visit: https://www.lung.org/our-initiatives/tobacco/reports-resources/sotc/state-grades/?setstate=OR