Tobacco and restaurant interests in Oregon have spent $1.7 million in the two years prior to this legislative session on campaign contributions and lobbying expenses. Pursuing legislation to overturn tobacco control regulation and dismantle state tobacco prevention programs is a major priority. With yesterday's passage of HB 3874 in the Oregon House, it looks like a California strategy developed by the Tobacco Institute has successfully traveled north.

A trio of bills currently moving through the Oregon legislature includes strategies identified in "California: A Multifaceted Plan to Address the Negative Environment."  HB 3953 is preemption legislation that blocks local governments from passing smoking bans and allows smoking in bars, bowling alleys, and bingo parlors. HB 3874 prohibits the use of cigarette tax money to advocate for new anti-smoking legislation. These two bills have passed the Oregon House and now go to the state Senate. HB 3542 rounds out the three bills of greatest interest to tobacco interests and their allies. HB 3542 would end statewide tobacco prevention efforts by requiring the state to send smoking prevention dollars to county governments with few strings attached.

All of these strategies were included in the California plan developed by the Tobacco Institute in 1991. The Institute's plan targeted a successful tobacco prevention and education program established by Proposition 99 that increased California tobacco taxes. In Oregon, voters passed Measure 44 in 1996, which created an equally successful tobacco prevention program here. The Oregon program has apparently drawn the attention of the tobacco industry.

The Tobacco Institute has been disbanded as a result of the settlement of the tobacco industry lawsuit brought by Attorney Generals from many states including Oregon. But the Institute's work seems to be reflected in recent calls for action for smoker's rights on the websites of Brown & Williamson and RJ Reynolds as well as legislation in Oregon. The political muscle behind these strategies can be seen in Oregon campaign contributions and spending on lobbyists.

Total contributions to current members of the Oregon legislature from tobacco interests totaled $108,300 with 94% going to Republicans and 6% to Democrats. Forty-six of Oregon's current legislators have received tobacco company money with contributions from this sector ranging from a high of $13,750 to Senate President Gene Derfler when he was elected in 1998 to a low of $100 to Representative Bill Morrisette, a Democrat from Springfield.

Contributions to 2000 Oregon candidates from tobacco companies came to $102,090 with 86% of those dollars ending up in the coffers of current legislators. Contributions to 1998 candidates were $63,940 with 79% going to winners including five of the 15 current Senators elected that year. Tobacco sector contributions in 1998 include donations from the Tobacco Institute, the group that wrote the plan in California to combat anti-smoking efforts. View a more detailed breakdown of campaign contributions.

Oregon lobbying expenditures by major tobacco companies came to $145,751 in 2000 and $164,149 in 1999. Annual spending on lobbyists is reported at the end of the year so the 1999 figures are the most recent available for lobbying expenses during a legislative session. View an annual breakdown for the last four years for Phillip Morris, Lorillard, RJ Reynolds and Brown & Williamson as well as the Tobacco Institute, which lobbied in Oregon through 1998.

But the web of interests tied to tobacco is wider. In this era of mergers Phillip Morris now owns Kraft Foods and Miller Brewing. Contributions to current Oregon legislators from these companies totaled $40,200. Lobbying expenditures by Phillip Morris Management for Kraft and Miller during 2000 came to $48,751 while they spent $124,665 in 1999.
 

The Tobacco Institute's plan for California also advocates working with the restaurant industry through the formation of RSVP, Restaurants for a Sensible Voluntary Policy. There is no exact counterpart in Oregon but Phillip Morris and RJ Reynolds as well as a cigar store contributed $2,483 to the PAC of the Oregon Restaurant Association. (See more details of who contributes to Oregon PACs)

The Oregon Restaurant Association has been particularly interested in HB 3953, the bill that prohibits cities from passing their own smoking bans. For example, the Oregon Restaurant Association testified in support of this preemption legislation but no tobacco industry lobbyist appeared at the hearing. Indeed, the Restaurant Association is the only industry group that has consistently testified in support of the trio of bills that form the tobacco industry strategy.

Contributions to all 2000 candidates from the Oregon Restaurant Association came to $258,936.

Total contributions to current members of the Oregon legislature, including Senators elected in 1998, from the Restaurant Association totaled $209,885 with 92% going to Republicans and 8% to Democrats. Sixty-seven of Oregon's current legislators have received money from the Restaurant Association's political committee.

Contributions ranged from a high of $13,050 to Senator John Minnis to the Oregon Restaurant Association's lowest contribution of $500 given to 13 different legislators. In addition, restaurant owners and managers gave $42,800 to Oregon candidates in 2000.

Lobbying expenditures by the Oregon Restaurant Association were $382,220 in 2000 and $395,796 in 1999.

Presumably the $1.7 million spent by tobacco and allied interests is a reflection of the much greater profits they will realize by favorable legislative outcomes. However, it is important to keep in mind the human costs of smoking and how Oregonians are affected by the legislative agenda of the tobacco sector and its allies. Tobacco contributed to 6,571 deaths in Oregon in 1998. This is the number of residents in Cottage Grove. The economic burden of tobacco is $1.5 billion in public and private costs for medical treatment and indirect costs for lost workdays and productivity.