Portland Easiest Place in U.S. for Teens to Buy Cigarettes
Portland used to be one of America's top cities for bicycles. It's still a great city to find a job. It's one of the hottest housing markets. It's frequently listed as one of the most beautiful cities in America. And apparently it's also the No. 1 place in America for underage tobacco purchases!
The stings only issue warnings and maybe fine the store clerk $500. The businesses don't get punished, which likely explains the prevalence of the crime.
Experts believe Portland and Multnomah County are No. 1 because Oregon doesn't require a license to sell tobacco. When a business is scared of losing its license to sell alcohol, it takes warnings more seriously. A bill was introduced to license tobacco sales, but lobbying form the neighborhood market association helped defeat it.