The Facts
- Tobacco is the #1 cause of preventable death in Oregon, leading to nearly 8,000 deaths per year.1
- Oregonians pay $1.5 billion every year in health care costs stemming from tobacco-related illnesses. Oregon families pay while Big Tobacco profits.2
- Right now, 1 in 4 high schoolers in Oregon report vaping, and teens who vape are 3x more likely to start smoking.3 Smoking is the #1 cause of preventable death in Oregon.
- Research shows that tobacco taxes reduce smoking and prevent another generation from becoming addicted to nicotine.4 The vaping and tobacco tax will prevent nearly 12,000 premature deaths. 5
- Increasing the cigarette tax by $2 a pack will prevent more than 19,000 Oregon youth from becoming smokers.6
- All money collected from the vape and tobacco taxes will be dedicated to the Oregon Health Plan, smoking prevention, and programs to help people quit.7
- The Oregon Health Plan provides coverage for more than 1 million Oregonians, including seniors, families, and 400,000 kids. Oregon Health Plan enrollment could grow by 30 percent due to the Coronavirus pandemic.8
- Currently, Oregon has one of the lowest tobacco taxes in the country. This measure will bring Oregon’s tobacco tax in line with neighboring states.9
The Truth About Tobacco
- Big Tobacco is hooking a whole new generation on nicotine by deceptively promoting vape products to youth. They target children with kid-friendly flavors and advertisements near schools, knowing that teens who vape are three times more likely to smoke.
- Big Tobacco will say anything to protect their bottom line. No matter their claims, we know the truth about smoking and vaping: Big Tobacco makes nearly $10,000 from each of the 8,000 Oregonians who lose their lives to smoking every year.
- For decades, Big Tobacco profited by targeting their products at Black, Brown, Indigenous, LGBTQ, and low-income communities. For instance, studies show that predominantly Black neighborhoods are up to ten times more likely to be targeted by Big Tobacco advertising.
