Clatsop County, OR. – Official Release: Clatsop County Public Health will be participating in the Tobacco & Alcohol Retail Assessment (TARA) now through June 2025.
TARA is a statewide effort, in partnership with the Oregon Health Authority, to collect information on tobacco, alcohol, and other health-related topics in retail spaces that will help improve the health and well-being of the community.
“We look forward to working with our local retailers to do this assessment,” said Carolina Guerrero Lara, Clatsop County Health Promotion Specialist. “It will provide valuable insight into how our community is exposed to these retail products, especially our youth.”
Clatsop County public health staff will visit approximately 50 retail spaces that are open to people of all ages to review prices and advertising. The reviewer may ask employees a few questions but will be mindful not to disrupt customers or store operations. Participation is voluntary and confidential. Store names and locations will not be shared.
Why are we doing this assessment?
Understanding the types of products and how they appear in retail settings is important for understanding and improving the health of the community.
“The retail environment around us can affect our choices, including choices that might harm our health down the road,” said Guerrero Lara. “When we have a better understanding of how products are marketed in our community, we can do a better job answering questions for our community members and policymakers and create programs that combat some of the negative effects of advertising.”
Results from TARA will be available later in 2025.
For more information about the data collection process or to learn how to participate, please contact Clatsop County Public Health at ClatsopCounty.gov.
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