Oregon Cigarette Sales Have Hit an All-Time Low

Juul is taking a bite out of Big Tobacco.

Vaping and e-cigarettes are increasingly popular with young consumers. (Abby Gordon)
By Nigel Jaquiss

33.84. That's how many packs of cigarettes were sold per capita in Oregon for the 12 months ending Nov. 31.

"We're on pace to sell the fewest packs of cigarettes on record," says state economist Josh Lehner.

The new number for 2018, provided to WW by the Oregon Health Authority, marks an 11.5 percent drop from the previous year and continues a long-term trend.

For perspective, per capita sales in Oregon 25 years ago, when the state began keeping data, were 98.7 packs.

Here and nationally, low-cost, lightly regulated e-cigarettes are speeding the move away from tobacco. Gov. Kate Brown recently proposed a $2 per pack cigarette tax increase, which, if approved, would drive sales even lower.

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