Cancer patients, survivors, teen advocates and others from throughout Oregon will gather tomorrow, April 1 at Oregon’s Capitol to ask legislators to stop the tobacco industry from targeting kids, and to pass Senate Bill 702, which would end flavored tobacco and menthol sales.
SB 702 is up for deliberations on Tuesday – which also happens to be “Takedown Tobacco Day.”
To mark the day, and persuade lawmakers, Oregon cancer advocates will be on hand at the statehouse to send a clear message: Big Tobacco continues to use flavors to target its next generation of customers, which leads to countless deaths as well as significant increases in health care costs statewide for every Oregonian.
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) is joined in this call by many state health advocacy organizations and local city governmental bodies, including Oregon City, Salem, Happy Valley, Lake Oswego, Milwaukie, Newport, Depoe Bay, Siletz and Waldport. School boards are also participating, including Parkrose School Board, Tualatin-Tigard School Board and Klamath Falls School District.
All have formally called on the State Legislature to end the sale of all flavored and menthol tobacco products.
“We have to take common-sense action to curb youth tobacco use,” ACS CAN Oregon Government Relations Director Jane Leo said. “Evidence is clear that the vast majority of kids who use tobacco start with flavored products. This legislation fell short of the finish line in 2023 and left too many kids open to the big marketing budgets of corporate tobacco. SB 702 needs to get done this session.”
The visit is part of ACS CAN’s annual Cancer Action Day, an event that will bring more than 50 Oregonians affected by cancer together to call on the Legislature to make cancer a priority and keep deadly tobacco products out of the hands of Oregon’s kids.
ACS CAN plans to make it a full day, running from 8:30 am to 3 pm. They’re inviting folks to both join them, and contact their legislative representatives.
By Shawn O’Neal
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