The largest county in Oregon, the 27th largest U.S. state, will ban all flavored nicotine products other than tobacco beginning January 1. Multnomah County will go into effect after surviving a court challenge.
Last week, Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge Benjamin Souede denied a request by the tobacco industry to halt enforcement of the county ordinance.
The decision paves the way for Oregon’s largest county to become the first in the state to ban flavored tobacco, according to media reports.
Earlier this year in Salem, state lawmakers considered House Bill 3090, which would have enacted a similar ban statewide. It had the support of one Republican lawmaker, Sen. Bill Hansell of Athena, and two Portland physicians, Rep. Lisa Reynolds and Sen. Elizabeth Steiner.
It passed out of the House health care committee on a party-line vote, with Democrats in favor and Republicans against, but died in the Joint Ways and Means Committee.