Blue Zones Project® Tobacco Policy Committee
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The goal of the tobacco policy committee is to create an environment where all non-sacred smoking and smokeless alternatives are discouraged and less desirable.
According to the Oregon Health Authority, one in five adults in Klamath County smoke cigarettes, 3,836 suffer from a serious illness caused by tobacco, and over $39 million is spent every year on tobacco related medical care. The surgeon General’s Report on Tobacco use among youth states that 90 percent of smokers took up the habit before the age of 18, indicating the need for targeted efforts toward protecting youth and young adults through tobacco prevention policies.
Since 2015, the Blue Zones Project Tobacco Committee has worked to reduce the smoking rate. According to the Gallup-Sharecare Well-Being Index, there has been a 24.3% decrease in the smoking rate from 2015 to 2018 in Klamath Falls. The Blue Zones Project Committee has lead and supported community efforts to reduce tobacco use in Klamath Falls by encouraging workplaces to become tobacco-free, increasing tobacco-free outdoor spaces, working with Klamath County Public Health to accelerate the adoption of Tobacco Retail Licensing, and working with our County Commissioner to advocate for raising the sales of tobacco to age 21. Learn more about these related topics:
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