SALEM, Oregon –– Menthol cigarettes and all other flavored tobacco products will soon no longer be sold in retail outlets in Oregon’s two most populated counties following the latest state Supreme Court affirmation of local leaders’ authority to implement local tobacco control laws to protect public health. Laws in Multnomah and Washington County will limit the gateway to addiction for thousands of Oregon kids each year.
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) applauds the court’s decision to deny the petition for review as a significant step toward a healthier Oregon, keeping youth from ever starting to use tobacco and helping others quit.
Said ACS CAN Oregon Government Relations Director Jane Leo: "Local authority is a tool leaders need to build healthier communities. Oregon’s most populated counties leading the way to end the sale of menthol cigarettes and all other flavored tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches, will keep many kids from addiction. Big Tobacco is ruthless in its attempts to entice future generations. The tobacco industry knows that flavors hook kids, which is why they target them with candy, fruit and minty sweet menthol flavored tobacco products to lure them into a lifetime of addiction. Research shows that flavors drive overall youth tobacco use, with more than 80% of youth who have ever used tobacco starting with a flavored product.”