Oregon lawmakers are considering a bill that would make the state one of a handful in the nation to ban the sale of flavored tobacco products. Senate Bill 702 and its companion, House Bill 3437, have drawn both passionate support and personal objections during a recent public hearing.
Proponents Argue Flavors Hook Kids as Young as Elementary School
Supporters of the bill argue that flavored tobacco products, which often smell like candy, are addicting children as young as elementary school age and setting them on a path toward early death. They say that despite Oregon's age restrictions on tobacco sales, youth have little trouble accessing these products through adults or stores that are lax about enforcement.
Jennifer Little, director of Klamath County Public Health, testified that her department is now receiving calls about students using flavored tobacco in elementary schools, not just junior highs and high schools. Students have reported that they never would have used tobacco if it wasn't flavored, as non-flavored products are "gross."
Opponents Claim Flavored Tobacco Offers Adults a Less Harmful Alternative
Opponents of the bill, including Sen. David Brock Smith (R-Port Orford), argue that flavored tobacco offers adults a less harmful alternative to traditional cigarettes. Smith shared his personal experience of using flavored vaping products to quit a 30-year smoking habit.
Richard Burke, executive director of the 21+ Tobacco and Vapor Retail Association of Oregon, said banning flavored tobacco takes away "bodily autonomy" for adults. He also warned that a prohibition could create an underground trade, giving the black market a monopoly on products that appeal to children.
Health Professionals and Students Share Concerns
Dr. Erika Moseson, a lung and intensive care unit physician at Legacy Health, expressed reluctance to guide her patients toward e-cigarettes and flavored tobaccos as an alternative, stating that while they may be safer than combustible cigarettes, they are not safe.
High school students Kasen Shi and Muhsin Farah shared their experiences witnessing the rapid addiction of friends to flavored vaping products. Shi recounted smelling strawberry-infused nicotine vapor in a school restroom and later realizing it was a childhood friend, while Farah watched a close friend go from casual vaping to needing it constantly throughout the day.
Other States and Localities Have Enacted Similar Bans
Several states, including Massachusetts, California, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island, have already enacted similar restrictions on flavored tobacco products. Some Oregon localities, such as Washington and Multnomah counties, have passed their own bans, but these are currently facing legal challenges.
As lawmakers consider the statewide ban, they will also weigh the potential financial impacts. A 2023 analysis by the Legislative Revenue Office estimated that a similar bill could result in a loss of about $90 million in annual tax revenue from flavored tobacco sales. However, proponents argue that the costs of treating health problems related to flavored tobacco use, as well as the societal costs of lost productivity and human tragedies, are even more difficult to assess.
