Oregon City Mayor Pushes for Flavored Tobacco Ban

Oregon Vape Law E-cigarette Packaging

Oregon City Mayor Denyse McGriff and the City Commission have formally requested leaders across Clackamas County to enact a ban on flavored tobacco and synthetic nicotine products. The initiative targets a youth vaping epidemic, particularly among middle school students who reportedly vape during school hours.

McGriff highlighted the severity of the issue in local schools, noting that children are obtaining flavored products without parental knowledge. “I have friends in middle school who will not go into the bathroom at their schools because students are vaping. I mean, we’re talking about sixth, seventh, and eighth graders,” McGriff stated.

The proposed ban has raised concerns among local business owners who rely heavily on flavored nicotine sales. Chris Woodruff, an employee at Paradox, a local vape shop, explained that “disposable vapes and e-liquid or juice probably accounts for about roughly sixty percent of our business in total.”

While McGriff suggested that the county should “work with those businesses” to “help them transition to something that is less harmful,” retailers argue that such a transition is financially impractical. Woodruff noted that specialty shops enforce age verification laws strictly, saying, “We’re not doing anything differently than like, Chevron that sells disposable vapes… So, it will, it’ll hurt, and it kind of takes away people’s options.”

To ensure the ban’s effectiveness, McGriff plans to coordinate with neighboring counties that have already implemented similar restrictions. This regional approach aims to close purchasing loopholes and prevent young residents from traveling across county lines to buy flavored products.

Matthew Ma
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