Oregon Revised Statutes

Or. Rev. Stat. § 323.482 (2026)

Offense of unlawful distribution of cigarettes; forfeiture; injunctive relief

✓ current as of May 2026

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323.482 Offense of unlawful distribution of cigarettes; forfeiture; injunctive relief. (1) A person commits the crime of unlawful distribution of cigarettes if the person knowingly sells or distributes, possesses or transports for sale or distribution or imports for sale or distribution cigarettes that do not comply with ORS 323.005 to 323.482 or 323.850 to 323.862, the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act (15 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.), 19 U.S.C. 1681a or section 5754 of the Internal Revenue Code, or implementing regulations of the federal laws listed in this subsection.

(2) The offense of unlawful distribution of cigarettes is classified as follows:

(a) If the number of cigarettes involved in the offense over a 90-day period totals 12,000 or less, the offense is a Class A misdemeanor.

(b) If the number of cigarettes involved in the offense over a 90-day period totals more than 12,000 but 60,000 or less, the offense is a Class C felony classified as crime category 3 of the sentencing guidelines grid of the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission.

(c) If the number of cigarettes involved in the offense over a 90-day period totals more than 60,000 but 120,000 or less, the offense is a Class C felony classified as crime category 5 of the sentencing guidelines grid of the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission.

(d) If the number of cigarettes involved in the offense over a 90-day period totals more than 120,000, the offense is a Class B felony classified as crime category 7 of the sentencing guidelines grid of the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission.

(3) Cigarettes sold, distributed, possessed, transported or imported in violation of subsection (1) of this section are contraband and subject to seizure and forfeiture. If seized and forfeited under this subsection, the cigarettes shall be destroyed.

(4) In addition to any other sentence the court may impose upon a conviction under this section, the court may order the forfeiture of the instrumentalities used in violating this section and the proceeds resulting from a violation of this section.

(5) A person who manufactures, distributes or sells cigarettes and who sustains a direct economic or commercial injury as a result of a violation of subsection (1) of this section may bring in good faith an action for appropriate injunctive relief.

(6) The penalties set forth in this section are in addition to and not in lieu of any other applicable penalties or sanctions. [2001 c.696 §3; 2003 c.804 §30]

TOBACCO PRODUCTS TAX

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 2 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 2012–2021 · leading case: State v. T. T., 479 P.3d 598 (Or. Ct. App. 2021).

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State v. T. T., 479 P.3d 598 (Or. Ct. App. 2021). “An officer could not reasonably conclude from the smell of fresh tobacco in a car—or even a pack of ciga- rettes resting on the center console—that the adult driver was unlawfully distributing cigarettes to a minor passenger under ORS 323.482; nor, for that matter, would an…”

Global Distrib. & Wholesaler v. Dep't of Revenue (Or. T.C. 2012). “The court must proceed “from what the legislature has written, to what the legislature has considered, and finally, as a last resort, to what the court determines makes 3 Oregon has a separate section in its tax code that applies to cigarettes.”

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