Cigarettes exist as a rich source of revenue for the state.

The only reason they're legal.

True. It's right up there with gambling and alcohol.

The "for the children" is just trotted up when convenient for these types.

The OLCC occasionally does "stings" at random stores for underage sale of alcohol to minors, it is quite effective. Why not similar efforts at underage cig sales?? after all: "Its for the children"
Why not an ad campaign stressing something like this: "Give more than your fair share to support the State, gamble, smoke, drink, drive a lot and sue people." Should result big surpluses in no time.

Is the OLCC responsible for tobacco?
(I dunno)

I believe tobacco stings/enforcement are usally done by the OLCC and sometimes the various County Health Departments. And since the FDA now has jurisdiction over tobacco, I believe they have the ability to do stings, too.

Re: " tobacco stings/enforcement" With County, State & Federal jurisdiction is it any wonder why nothing is happening. It's called institutional gridlock. Aka - it's their problem, call them.

Has anyone considered that harm, to the smoker, usually takes decades and that it is likely that cancer and lung disease will be cured by then?

We have more pressing health problems, like lead poisoning, (from flying lead, especially around max stops, not in paint,in air or water.)

Thanks
JK

harm, to the smoker, usually takes decades and that it is likely that cancer and lung disease will be cured by then?

We have more pressing health problems, like lead poisoning, (from flying lead, especially around max stops

Jim, this kind of rant does nothing for your credibility.

Unless your his dad or mother, kid wants to smoke, let him smoke.

So if a kid gets caught with tobacco what happens to him?

They do tobacco tax stings all the time.

When they bust a guy they get his supplier list, always all out of state suppliers. Usually if the supplier is selling tax-uncollected tobacco to one guy he's doing it for a few people so the AG threatens to sue the out of state tobacco suppliers for "conspiracy to evade taxes" or some such thing and gets them to cough up ALL their Oregon customers. Then they fan out and do buys from those people, slam em with 40 felonies, 100% tax penalty, get their customer lists, etc, and the process repeats.

(And the worst thing about tax crimes in Oregon? All charged in Marion County. So you get to drive down and deal with the evil Marion County hangin' judges and enjoy beautiful Salem. Ugh. Spend some time in that court system and then tell me you don't have some guilty admiration for this guy: http://salem-news.com/articles/august242006/millis_guilty_82406.php )

But anyway, on the tobacco tax stuff, it's amazing what good police work they can do when there's cash money on the line.

They do cigarette stings all the time - in Clackamas County anyway, can't speak for Multnomah. Not only will they send a kid in to try to buy cigarettes, they will also set one up outside a store to ask adults to buy smokes for them. Our local paper publishes the names of the businesses that fail liquor and cigarette stings. Take a look sometime, they give out a little sticker to the businesses that pass. Oftentimes it is posted near the register. We use to get a sting for liquor at the bar about every 6 months.

Oh, and, a kid caught smoking gets an "MIP," minor in possession. The same charge they get if caught with booze or drugs.