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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Today, the Oregon Health Authority announced promising short-term outcomes of Senate Bill 754 (2017), which raised the age of purchase for tobacco and vaping products in Oregon from 18 to 21 years.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">OHA found a significant decrease in youth (aged 13–17) and young adults (aged 18–20) who have started using tobacco since the law took effect Jan. 1, 2018. The evaluation also shows a decrease in young adults’
perceived ease of access to tobacco and vaping products.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Increasing the tobacco sales age to 21 is an important part of a comprehensive, coordinated tobacco prevention approach that will help keep kids from ever starting to use tobacco. The law works best when paired
with other protections such as increasing the price of tobacco, creating smoke-free environments and schools, and providing lots of help to quit in the doctor’s office and elsewhere.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">The report is attached for your convenience and available online as a pdf here:
</span><a href="https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/PREVENTIONWELLNESS/TOBACCOPREVENTION/Documents/Oregon-Tobacco-21-Impact-Evaluation-Report.pdf">https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/PREVENTIONWELLNESS/TOBACCOPREVENTION/Documents/Oregon-Tobacco-21-Impact-Evaluation-Report.pdf</a>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">The Oregon Health Authority sent a press release announcing the findings this morning, which is available online here:
<a href="https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ERD/Pages/Early-Results-Fewer-Youth-Smoking-Since-Tobacco-21.aspx">
https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ERD/Pages/Early-Results-Fewer-Youth-Smoking-Since-Tobacco-21.aspx</a>.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Please feel free to share the impact evaluation report with your colleagues and social media followers. A few proposed social media posts for Facebook and Twitter are attached for your use.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">For more information please contact Karen Girard,
<span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="mailto:karen.e.girard@state.or.us">karen.e.girard@state.or.us</a></span>, Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention Section Manager at the Oregon Public Health Authority.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Thanks,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Megan<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">
<hr size="2" width="100%" align="center">
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Megan E. Gerdes, MPH</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><br>
Health Promotion Strategist <br>
OREGON HEALTH AUTHORITY<br>
Public Health Division<br>
Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention<br>
</span><a href="mailto:megan.e.gerdes@dhsoha.state.or.us"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0563C1">megan.e.gerdes@dhsoha.state.or.us</span></a><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><br>
Desk: 971-673-1039<br>
Cell: 503-752-6354<br>
</span><a href="http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbXNpZD0mYXVpZD0mbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTYxMjIwLjY3OTEyMDUxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDE2MTIyMC42NzkxMjA1MSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE2ODYxMTMwJmVtYWlsaWQ9bWlrYXlsYS5tYXJjb3R0QGRoc29oYS5zdGF0ZS5vci51cyZ1c2VyaWQ9bWlrYXlsYS5tYXJjb3R0QGRoc29oYS5zdGF0ZS5vci51cyZ0YXJnZXRpZD0mZmw9Jm12aWQ9JmV4dHJhPSYmJg==&&&110&&&http://www.oregon.gov/OHA"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0563C1">http://www.oregon.gov/OHA</span></a><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>I check email twice a day at 10:00 AM and at 3:00 PM. If you need to reach me immediately call or text my cell.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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