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ACS CAN Oregon Applauds California's Action to Protect Youth from Big Tobacco
May 5, 2016
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), the advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, urges Oregon to follow in California’s footsteps and protect kids from deadly tobacco addiction by raising the state’s age of sale for tobacco to 21.
California Governor Jerry Brown signed the bill into law last night, making it the second state in the nation along with Hawaii to have a tobacco sales age of 21. More than 135 cities nationwide, including Boston, Chicago, New York and San Francisco, passed this policy. ACS CAN is leading the Tobacco 21 For Oregon coalition with Tobacco 21 and the American Heart Association. The coalition is aiming to pass statewide legislation to raise the age of tobacco sales to 21 in Oregon during the 2017 legislative session.
It’s estimated that 2,600 Oregon kids will become new daily smokers each year – or seven kids every day. If current smoking rates do not decline, 68,000 Oregon kids alive today will die prematurely from tobacco. Raising the age of tobacco sales to 21 is expected to have the biggest effect on 15-17 year olds. The Institute of Medicine projects that raising the national age for tobacco sales to 21 will reduce the number of youth who start smoking by 25 percent.
“National data indicate that 95 percent of adult smokers begin smoking before age 21,” said ACS CAN Oregon Government Relations Director Luis Rodriguez. “Raising the age of sale will greatly reduce the number of kids who start smoking. Younger teens often get tobacco products from 18 year-old peers, so this policy will help address the way in which teens get tobacco from their peers.”
ACS CAN and its Tobacco 21 For Oregon coalition partners launched their statewide campaign during the 2016 legislative session. So far, 24 organizations have signed on in support. The coalition is ramping up efforts across the state, including petition blitzes and community events to gain support for legislation in 2017. In all, the coalition hopes to sign on 50 organizations and secure 4,000 petition signatures this year.
“ACS CAN Oregon applauds California for becoming the second state to take a historic step toward a tobacco-free generation today, said Rodriguez. “Now it’s Oregon’s turn to snuff Big Tobacco’s efforts to hook future generations on this deadly addiction.”
Increasing the age of sale for tobacco products to 21 is a promising step in strengthening Oregon’s tobacco laws and improving public health. To fully combat tobacco, this policy needs to be part of comprehensive tobacco-control efforts that include substantial, regular tobacco tax increases and fully funded tobacco prevention and cessation programs—two areas where Oregon trails other states.
Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death in Oregon, and the stark fact is that one in three cancer deaths are caused by tobacco. Learn more about ACS CAN’s efforts to protect Oregon kids from tobacco at www.fightcancer.org/or.
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