OREGON CITY, ORE. – The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) applauds Oregon City Mayor Denyse McGriff for calling on fellow mayors and city councils across Clackamas County to join her in asking for the Board of County Commissioners to end the sale of menthol cigarettes and all other flavored tobacco products. McGriff’s letter calling for action was unanimously approved by the Oregon City Commission Wednesday night and sent on to other governing bodies in the county.
ACS CAN joins Mayor McGriff in urging the Clackamas County Board of County Commissioners to end the sale of menthol cigarettes and all other flavored tobacco products including but not limited to flavored e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches at all retailers. This action would prioritize the future health of Clackamas County kids over Big Tobacco’s corporate profits. Similar laws have already been passed in Multnomah and Washington counties and upheld by the Oregon Supreme Court.
"Big Tobacco is ruthless in its attempts to retain its current customer base and entice future generations to its deadly and addictive products,” said ACS CAN Oregon Government Relations Director Jane Leo. “The tobacco industry works to keep people of all ages addicted and knows that flavors hook kids. They target them with fruit, minty sweet menthol and other candy flavored tobacco products including e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches, meant to lure them into a lifetime of addiction. Research shows that more than 80% of youth who have ever used tobacco start with a flavored product.”
With nearly 28% of the 8,840 cancer deaths expected in Oregon this year caused by smoking, lawmakers at all levels must act or risk these numbers increasing. Smoking remains the leading preventable cause of disease and death in the U.S. and is linked to at least 12 types of cancers, including lung, liver and colorectal. Free resources on quitting smoking can be found at the Oregon Tobacco Quit Line.