Oregon - STOP Tobacco Companies from passing out free smokeless tobacco..

January 23, 2009 - from Oregon State Rep. Carolyn Tomei’s fifth legislative session could be one of her busiest.

Tobacco handouts: Tobacco companies are banned from handing out free cigarettes in Oregon, but they’re allowed to dole out freebies of smokeless tobacco. With new products that boast kid-friendly flavors like chocolate mint, Tomei wants the practice to end – it already has in Washington.

“Now Oregon has become the place where they have campaigns for smokeless tobacco,” she said. “They’re handing out free Snus samples, and to whom did they hand it out? Not people my age; it’s the young ones.”

Tomei also takes exception to flavored “mini-cigars,” and the marketing of common chewing tobacco at rodeos and fairs in rural Oregon.

Hopefully, Oregon will quickly enact legislation to prevent tobacco companies from passing out free tobacco products Any day now, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco will start test marketing dissolvable tobacco products in Portland.

Reference: Hang up and drive' could become law Legislator wants to limit cell phone use while driving, regulate gifts from pharmaceuticals by Anthony Roberts, The Clackamas Review, 1/20/2009.