Lake Oswego students head to Salem to advocate for the American Cancer Society

Last year, the students of the Lake Oswego Youth Leadership Council advocated on behalf of their generation in front of the Lake Oswego City Council.

They asked the council to join their letter to Oregon Senate President Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego, championing a statewide flavored tobacco ban. They cited research that showed the rising usage of flavored tobacco products by teenagers and pointed to similar bans adopted in Washington in 2022.

At the beginning of March, two of the Lake Oswego YLC students — Kasen Shi and Allison Korkola — had the chance to head to Salem for the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Action Network advocacy day.

“For me, being able to go there and lobby as a youth for the things I believed in (was important) and I thought the event gave me the means to do so,” said Shi.

“I think it’s similar for me. I am someone who’s had family affected by tobacco products and cancer. I didn’t meet my grandpa — he died of lung cancer before I was born, and that’s a direct result of smoking. Flavored tobacco being a gateway into that was something that I feel very strongly about,” said Korkola.

Part of the reason that YLC members were invited to join ACS’s advocacy day was because of the standard set by their letter. Youth leaders in communities like Happy Valley and Hillsboro are following suit.

“Big Tobacco is preying on our children, using flavors to lure in their new customers. Yet Oregon lawmakers let another legislative session go by without doing anything about it. We’re not letting them go home for the year without a reminder of what they must prioritize when they step foot back in this building in 2025. Oregon must end the sale of all flavored tobacco products,” said Jamie Dunphy, Oregon government relations director for ACS CAN, in a press release.

Korkola and Shi also had the chance to meet with Rep. Daniel Nguyen, D-Lake Oswego, and talk about action and advocacy in their corner of Oregon.

“When constituents and advocates come in, that have that lived experience, it’s so impactful. In this case here, they’re students and the ones being targeted by these (tobacco) companies,” said Nguyen. “As a policymaker, I’ve really strived to be as accessible and as welcoming as I possibly can. We’ve set up our office to encourage people to have a snack — I’ve always claimed to have the most unique snack bowl in the building.”

Both Shi and Korkola mentioned the welcome break that Nguyen’s office and Japanese Kit-Kat candies offered during the long day of advocacy meetings.

“He told me to come back after his last meeting,” said Korkola. “I went out on the House floor to sit with him in session while his own bill got passed about A.I.”

Korkola and Shi added that Nguyen explained how a statewide flavored tobacco ban could become law during next year’s long session.

“It gives me hope. I always say (to students): ‘By seeing you folks here, it gives me hope in the next generation,’” said Nguyen.

Many of the members of the YLC recently headed to Washington, D.C. for the National League of Cities conference, a trip that Nguyen made himself when he served on the Lake Oswego City Council.

“There are avenues to get involved for people who care about things to speak out about it,” said Shi.