Our Mission
Our coalition convenes with a unified purpose: to advocate for the end of all commercial flavored tobacco product sales, including Menthol, throughout Oregon. We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with dynamic community groups and institutional public health agencies that work to represent a variety of BIPOC and under-resourced communities to engage in collaborative efforts, collective learning, and strategic planning. Our commitment extends to valuing the insights of experts from community-based and nationally renowned organizations, as we work to the health and well-being of our community members, youth, and families.
We create strategies through an anti-racist and equity lens as racism is a public health crisis. We acknowledge the disparities that predatory menthol marketing and strategic exploitation by Big Tobacco companies have caused in Black communities across the nation.
Tobacco Prevention Research & Resources
The toll of tobacco in Oregon
Commercial tobacco use among youth should alarm every Oregonian. More than 20% of Oregon high school students use e-cigarettes. And 90% of adult smokers began smoking before they turned 20.
Tobacco use among youth
Explore this fact sheet to find more information about how youth use tobacco in the US.
More Oregon resources
Oregon Health Authority’s smokefreeoregon.com campaign has tons of commercial tobacco prevention messaging. There are some amazing resources here if you’re looking for digital statement pieces, including some incredible videos.
Health Justice Guide for Tobacco Control
This is a link to scientific research and detailed history compiled by The Center for Black Health and Equity. It also includes in-depth, practical instruction on how to use a community-model to effect policy change.
Quit smoking
If you want to quit using commercial tobacco or want resources to give a loved one who wants to quit, here is a good launching point. You can easily open a chat, make a phone call, or start a text conversation.
CDC Menthol Fact Sheet
Click through to go to the CDC’s website to see brand new information about the toll of commercial menthol cigarettes on Oregonians.
“We will lose an entire generation of people if we continue to allow Big Tobacco to sell whatever they want.”
Haoua Dogo | Upstream Public Health
https://www.portlandmercury.com/health/2022/11/29/46218647/public-urges-multnomah-county-to-pass-flavored-tobacco-ban-while-retailers-raise-concerns
History
TOFCO has a long & successful history with commercial tobacco prevention policy in Oregon. First organized in the mid-1990s, TOFCO helped set up Oregon as one of the first states to pass a tobacco tax. Through the 2000s to the present day, TOFCO and our partners have worked together to keep commercial tobacco prevention on the minds of Oregon legislators and elected officials. As we’ve entered a new decade, the tobacco industry has made it clear once again that they will continue to innovate their products to find new ways to recruit Oregon youth to become addicted to nicotine. We look forward to working alongside community organizations, state and county partners to kick big tobacco to the curb.