Oregon lawmakers have a plan to ban flavored tobacco statewide, arguing that it will prevent youth tobacco use, but this proposed policy misses the mark.

As a third-generation convenience store owner and operator of Astro and AstroMart Stores, I’m like many owners of small, family-owned convenience stores who depend on revenue from flavored tobacco products to support our bottom line and keep our doors open.

We agree that keeping tobacco and nicotine products out of the hands of minors is critical. It’s why responsible retailers like us are already enforcing strict ID checks. Thanks to existing regulations and enforcement, youth smoking rates have plummeted. In fact, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) reports the youth smoking rate is at a low of 2.1%, down 86% since 2001 and e-cigarette use has dropped by 57% since 2019.

According to a recent study published in JAMA, teens are increasingly ordering restricted tobacco products online and having them delivered by mail with no age verification. According to the CDC, 58% of youth who vape are using disposable vapor products. Nielsen IQ Retail Scanner Sales data show 86% of e-cigarette sales in the U.S. are of illegal products. Instead of targeting law-abiding businesses, policymakers should focus on cracking down on these illegal sources.

Lawmakers who fixate on flavored tobacco are overlooking the substances that Oregon youth are actually using at much higher rates. The same OHA survey that studied cigarettes and e-cigs shows Oregon teens are three times more likely to use marijuana (7%) than cigarettes and five times more likely to use alcohol (10.6%) than cigarettes. If the goal is to protect young people, then efforts should focus on addressing these more prevalent issues.

Our 36 stores across Washington and Oregon provide stable jobs, career growth opportunities, and an essential service to our communities. We keep people going with coffee, energy drinks, healthy foods, and grab-and-go meals. Flavored tobacco and nicotine products play a critical role in our business. Lawmakers’ plans to ban flavored tobacco threatens not only our livelihood but also the employees and customers who rely on us.

For many of our employees, working at Astro and AstroMart isn’t just a job, it’s a second chance. We hire individuals who may not have had the easiest path in life. Many come to us with limited education or past hardships, and we give them the opportunity to build a stable future. This proposed ban will devastate our bottom line, forcing us to conduct layoffs and possibly close stores.

Beyond harming small businesses, banning flavored tobacco products will have serious economic repercussions for the state. Economics consulting firm Orzechowski and Walker compiled state tax and proprietary sales data to estimate the state could lose as much as $91.5 million annually in tobacco tax revenue. Losing it could result in budget shortfalls that hurt communities.

Rather than imposing a ban that will drive consumers to neighboring states or illicit markets, policymakers should focus on harm reduction. One UK government study indicates vaping is at least 95% less harmful than smoking and has proven to be an effective smoking cessation tool. Encouraging smokers to transition to less harmful alternatives, like vapes and nicotine pouches, is a more effective way to reduce smoking-related health risks.

When it comes to menthols, the FDA shows menthol cigarettes pose no greater health risks than non-menthol cigarettes, and the CDC shows menthol use among youth is rare — only 0.6% of students in the U.S. smoke menthol cigarettes, meaning 99.4% do not. The argument that banning flavored tobacco will significantly reduce youth smoking is simply not supported by the data.

Oregon’s proposed flavored tobacco ban is well-intended but fundamentally flawed. It will hurt small businesses, eliminate jobs, slash state revenue, and fail to significantly curb youth tobacco use. Instead of pushing legal sales into the illicit market, lawmakers should prioritize targeted enforcement against illegal sellers and promote harm reduction strategies for adult smokers.

Gabriel Zirkle is the vice \president of WSCO Petroleum, headquartered in Portland. WSCO operates Asto and AstroMart stores in Oregon and Washington.