Oregon's Tobacco Prevention and Education Program (TPEP) was launched in 1997 with a clear and simple mandate — to reduce tobacco-related illness and death. Since its inception, TPEP has been a comprehensive program addressing the issues of tobacco use; and Oregon's anti-tobacco efforts are saving lives and money.
Each year in Oregon, tobacco use kills nearly 7,000 people. It claims more lives than motor vehicle crashes, suicide, AIDS and murders combined. Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death in Oregon and the nation.
Tobacco use costs Oregonians more than $2.5 billion annually in medical expenses and through indirect costs due to premature death. As a state, we simply cannot afford tobacco.
What We Do
TPEP is part of the Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention Section in the Center for Prevention and Health Promotion. Search the Public Health Program Directory to see all programs in the Oregon Public Health Division.