Oregon Highlights

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Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death and disease in the United States and in Oregon. To address this enormous toll, the American Lung Association calls for the following actions to be taken by Oregon’s elected officials:

  1. End the sale of all flavored tobacco products; and
  2. Ensure Oregon’s Clean Indoor Air Act remains intact.
During the 2023 legislative session, Representative Lisa Reynolds introduced and sponsored House Bill 3090 which proposed a prohibition on the distribution and sales of all flavored tobacco products. A work session and public hearing was held in the House committee on Behavioral Health and Health Care. An amendment to exempt existing hookah lounges was introduced and accepted. The amended bill was passed out of committee and referred to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means.

Senate Minority Leader Tim Knopp led a six-week Republican walkout of the chamber which prevented the Senate from reaching a two-thirds quorum to pass bills. Unfortunately, House Bill 3090 fell victim to this delay tactic and died in committee.

County ordinances passed in 2022 to end the sale of flavored tobacco products in Washington and Multnomah counties have yet to be implemented due to legal challenges.

During the 2024 legislative session, the American Lung Association will work with partners supporting legislation to end the sale of flavored tobacco products statewide. The Lung Association will also work to protect other tobacco control policy measures, including Oregon’s Clean Indoor Air Act.

Oregon Facts
Healthcare Costs Due to Smoking: $1,547,762,592
Adult Smoking Rate: 12.40%
High School Smoking Rate: 4.90%
High School Tobacco Use Rate: 23.10%
Middle School Smoking Rate: 2.60%
Smoking Attributable Deaths per Year: 5,470
Adult smoking data come from CDC's 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. High school (11th grade only) smoking and tobacco use, and middle school (8th grade only) smoking rates are taken from the 2019 Oregon Healthy Teens Survey. High school tobacco use includes cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, and electronic vapor products, as well as hookah, making it incomparable to other states.

Health impact information is taken from the Smoking Attributable Mortality, Morbidity and Economic Costs (SAMMEC) software. Smoking attributable deaths reflect average annual estimates for the period 2005-2009 and are calculated for persons aged 35 years and older. Smoking-attributable healthcare expenditures are based on 2004 smoking-attributable fractions and 2009 personal healthcare expenditure data. Deaths and expenditures should not be compared by state.

Oregon Information

Learn more about your state specific legislation regarding efforts towards effective Tobacco Control.

State Grades Report Laws & Policies Historical Data