A new Multnomah County report finds that tobacco and related products are being sold near schools, and 90 percent of stores carry products aimed at young people, with flavors such as "clown candy," root beer and yummy gummy.
“The Selling of Tobacco in Multnomah County’’ is the first-ever assessment of more than 400 retailers that sell tobacco and nicotine products.
“Tobacco remains the leading preventable cause of death in Multnomah County and the nation,’’ said Joanne Fuller, director of the Multnomah County Health Department. “This survey describes a marketplace where tobacco and nicotine products are cheap, easy to find, and often available even to children.’’
In 2014, federal compliance checks found nearly one in three stores in Multnomah County illegally sold cigarettes to youth under 18.
In most states, retailers must obtain a license to sell tobacco products. Oregon does not require licensure, so the Multnomah Health Department created a list of 590 tobacco retailers from various sources. Retailers included unique sites such as a bait and tackle shop, craft shop, espresso shop, marijuana paraphernalia shop, and tanning salon.
The Multnomah Health Department staff worked with the five members of the Oregon Health Equity Alliance including the Asian Health & Service Center, Center for Intercultural Organizing, Oregon Latino Health Coalition, Upstream Public Health, and Urban League to conduct the survey in 2014.
“I think what surprised me about the retail assessment was the vast diversity of tobacco products that people can smoke or chew today,’’ said Zack Mohamed, Leadership Development Coordinator, Center for Intercultural Organizing. “What is most surprising is that the flavors chosen for e-cigs are the same flavors most appealing to kids."
The survey found that in Multnomah County neighborhoods, there are more tobacco retailers per capita in areas with a higher percentage of populations of color. They also observed self-service displays, single cigarettes and a lack of signs reminding customers of age requirements. All those are possible violations of current regulations.
Upstream Public Health coordinators who worked on the project reacted strongly to the study.
“I simply couldn’t believe the proliferation of tobacco products since I was young and a smoker,’’ Claudia Arana Colen, Health Equity Coordinator, Upstream Public Health. “There appear to be unlimited options for smoking and TONS of fun flavors that, admittedly, were very enticing.”
“Enough is enough,’’ said Nafisa Fai, program manager for Upstream Public Health. “We do not need to wait and should not wait for 50 years to identify this as a public health hazard. Our communities of color and low income communities have already carried too much of this burden from a history of tobacco pushing in their communities.”
The Board of County Commissioners, acting as the Board of Health, passed an order Feb. 12 stating the Board’s intent to consider licensing in the future. Linda Roman, Director of Health Policy & Government Relations, Oregon Latino Health Coalition said, “We know that tobacco companies targets youth and the Latino community is very young, the average age is 27 years old. We need to put upstream tobacco prevention policies in place to protect our young and emerging communities."
You can read the full report and geographic specifics here:
