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Legislators hear competing views as Oregon considers banning online sales of nicotine pouches
Summary
Health officials and youth advocates urged the Senate Judiciary Committee to add oral nicotine pouches to Oregon's tobacco law and ban online sales to curb youth access; retailers and industry groups warned the change could punish compliant businesses and push consumers to unregulated sellers.
Senate staff opened public testimony on Senate Bill 15 71, a proposal to add oral nicotine products — including nicotine pouches and flavored nicotine items — to Oregon’s statutory definition of tobacco products and to move underage‑sale enforcement into public‑health statutes.
Supporters framed the bill as a youth‑protection measure. State Senator Lisa Reynolds, the bill sponsor, described nicotine pouches as an industry effort to evade regulation and said the measure would close loopholes, ban online sales, require licensed retail sales and raise the purchase age to 21. Jocelyn Warren (Lane County Public Health) and Oregon Health Authority testimony cited youth usage and enforcement gaps: “Because of regulation loopholes in the state of Oregon, nicotine pouches are more easily available to youth,” Warren said.
Health organizations warned flavored, concealable pouches appeal to adolescents. The Oregon Health Authority said the Tobacco Retail License program’s inspections reduced illegal sales from 26% in 2022 to 11% in 2025, and argued bringing nicotine pouches under state retail law would allow inspectors to act on complaints.
Retailers and industry groups pushed back. Laura Lee, vice president of external affairs for a large online nicotine retailer, said online age‑verification practices are robust and that an online sales ban would punish compliant businesses and drive customers to noncompliant platforms. Jonathan Polanski (Plaid Pantry) and trade groups cautioned the bill may reduce penalties for illegal sellers while imposing new restrictions and OHA rulemaking authority on licensed retailers.
The committee heard competing proposals to narrow the bill’s scope and to align it with federal age‑21 rules; no vote was taken and the public hearing was closed pending further committee action.
