Guidelines outlined for tobacco retailers to comply with new law
In Crook County, 13.6 percent of 8th graders reported using tobacco.
Oregon Governor Kate Brown’s signing last week of a new law that raises the required minimum age to legally buy or obtain tobacco products from 18 to 21 caps a year-long celebration of 20 years of tobacco prevention successes in the state.
Brown signed SB 754, known as Tobacco 21 and recently passed by the Oregon Legislature, making Oregon the fifth state to increase the age to purchase tobacco, after California, Hawaii, Maine and New Jersey. The new law takes effect immediately, with enforcement and fines to begin Jan. 1, 2018.
“The passage of Tobacco 21 is a tremendous accomplishment for public health in this state, and the young people of Oregon,” said Oregon Health Authority Public Health Division Director Lillian Shirley. “Tobacco 21 is an evidence-based strategy that will help reduce youth initiation of tobacco. We know that most addiction to tobacco starts in adolescence—in fact, nine of 10 adults who smoke report that they started smoking before they turned 18, and almost 100 percent start before they turn 26.”
She added, “We need to protect kids with laws such as Tobacco 21 because new marketing tactics and products with hookahs, e-cigarettes and flavored vaping products put a new generation at risk of addiction.”
There is still work left to be done in Crook County
There are tobacco prevention challenges in Crook County to help prevent future generations from starting to use tobacco. 8% of Crook County 8th graders reported using e-cigarettes, while 34.4% of our 11th graders reported using tobacco products. Flavored tobacco products remain to be the tobacco of choice for most youth today.
“Tobacco 21 is just one facet of effective and comprehensive tobacco prevention. Reducing exposure to tobacco products and their use, increasing access to cessation services and educating the community on the health and economic consequences of tobacco use is our focus in public health. By increasing the age to purchase tobacco to 21, we are headed in the right direction for reducing youth initiation and the $13.6 million spent each year in Crook County on tobacco-related medical care,” said Muriel DeLaVergne-Brown, Director of Crook County Health Department.
What the law means for retailers and certified smoke shop owners:
Currently, there is no violation for people ages 18, 19, or 20 to possess tobacco products or inhalant delivery systems. Enforcement will take place at the retail locations that sell these products:
Effective immediately, retailers and certified smoke shops can no longer sell tobacco products, inhalant delivery systems, or tobacco delivery systems to people younger than 21. There are no exceptions for sales of tobacco or inhalant delivery systems to persons under 21 years of age.
Retailers and certified smoke shops that sell tobacco products or inhalant delivery systems are required to display a sign stating the prohibition of tobacco product or inhalant delivery system sales to persons younger than 21.Failure to post a sign stating this would be a Class A violation.
Enforcement of this law goes into effect Jan. 1, 2018.
Learn More:
Learn more by visiting: http://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/PREVENTIONWELLNESS/TOBACCOPREVENTION/Pages/retailenvironment.aspx
Email questions to: Tobacco.Inspections@state.or.us
For more information about tobacco prevention and the work being doing in Crook County, visit SmokefreeOregon.org.
