Sending a strong message, voters once again agree: we must protect the health—and health care—of all Oregonians. Measure 108 started with an approval rate of over 65% and stayed consistent throughout the campaign, winning tonight with 70% of the vote.
“We are proud to be part of this extraordinary effort to protect health care for the 1 in 4 Oregonians who rely on the Oregon Health Plan for coverage and save lives through vaping and tobacco reduction and prevention,” said Lisa Vance, Chief Executive for Providence Health & Services-Oregon.
Nurses, health plans, hospitals, public health groups, labor, business, and community-based organizations forged a unique and diverse coalition with over 275 endorsements that carried throughout the campaign. Under Measure 108, the new revenue must fund the Oregon Health Plan which provides health coverage to more than a million Oregonians (including over 400,000 kids) and provide new investments in smoking prevention and cessation programs.
“We all know the cycle of addiction is no accident. It’s a direct result of the way tobacco corporations disproportionately target low-income Oregonians, communities of color, and LGBTQ+ communities,” said Natalie Bonilla, Program Coordinator with the Oregon Latino Health Coalition and member of the Yes on 108 Equity Advisory Committee. “Upstream solutions like Measure 108 will help tell a different story, benefitting all Oregonians—but especially those most impacted by vaping and tobacco—by ensuring that every dollar gained from the tax is directly reinvested into these communities.”
Measure 108 had strong support from nurses, doctors and public health officials both because it helps protect health coverage during the global pandemic through the Oregon Health Plan and reduces nicotine and tobacco addiction.
“The Oregon Nurses Association and so many others across the state aligned around Measure 108, it just makes sense—reduce youth vaping and smoking, protect the Oregon Health Plan, and increase tobacco prevention and cessation programs,” said Lynda Pond, RN, President of the Oregon Nurses Association. “It’s a win-win-win.”
Dr. Peter Reed, a Portland pediatrician and American Heart Association volunteer, says a huge milestone in tobacco control was achieved today.
“Measure 108 taxes e-cigarettes for the first time and substantially raises the taxes on tobacco products. This is a proven, effective approach to prevent youth—who are particularly price sensitive—from purchasing these deadly products. We are proud that Oregonians have chosen to stand up to Big Tobacco and voted to protect our kids while investing in tobacco prevention programs across the state.”
Measure 108 will take effect January 1, 2021. To learn more, go to Yeson108.org.
