Illegal Tobacco Sales Increase Across The State

PORTLAND, OR — In the seven months since Oregon increased the legal age to purchase tobacco products, the Oregon Health Authority has noted a slight increase in the rate of tobacco sales violations, according to a report released this week.

Following a change in the state's tobacco law, which took effect on Jan. 1, 2018, tobacco retailers in Oregon can no longer sell tobacco products to anyone younger than 21 years. Oregon is reportedly the fifth state in the nation to raise the legal age.

Since the law took effect, Oregon Health Authority (OHA) officials conducted nearly 1,000 inspections at tobacco product retailers across the state. OHA officials in their retailer inspection report highlighted a 2 percent increase in tobacco sales to people younger than the newly imposed minimum legal age.

"Selling tobacco to people under 21 years old is illegal, but these data show that nearly one out of every five tobacco retailers in Oregon still sells to people under the legal age," OHA Public Health Division State Health Officer Tom Jeanne said in a statement. "Tobacco remains the number one preventable cause of death and disability and kills nearly 8,000 people in Oregon each year."

Of the 985 inspections made in all 36 Oregon counties, OHA confirmed 180 illegal tobacco sales for a violation rate of 18.3 percent. The report breaks down the violations into three categories based on sales for cigarettes, cigarillos, and e-cigarettes:

As a percentage based on the number of locations inspected versus the number of violations, Baker County was marked as the most egregious offender in the state with a violation rate of 57 percent. Of the seven locations visited in Baker County, four made illegal sales to minors.

Multnomah County, as the most populous in the state with roughly 790,000 residents (compared to Baker County's 16,000), saw OHA decoys make 191 inspections. Of those, 43 were found in violation of the law — for a rate of 22.5 percent.

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In Washington County, where OHA conducted 85 inspections, 14 retailers violated the law (16.5 percent); and in Clackamas County, 11 of the 79 retailers inspected made sales to minors (13.9 percent).

According to OHA, retailers who are caught selling tobacco to underage customers face fines of $500 for the first and/or second violation, and up to $1,000 for three or more violations.

Additionally, OHA hopes to increase community awareness by identifying the offending retailers for the first time.

Conversely, however, eight of the 36 counties inspected were free of any violations at all.

Tillamook (11 inspections), Wallowa (four inspections), Wasco (11 inspections), Gilliam (one inspection), Harney (three inspections), Jefferson (four inspections), Lake (four inspections), and Malheur (seven inspections) counties successfully failed to sell tobacco products to minors.

To see the complete OHA report, click here.

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