County Council urged to support Bill 102
In Hawaii alone, 21,000 of today’s youth will ultimately die of a tobacco-related illness if smoking rates remain the same. That’s 1,400 people each and every year on average.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2022, more people in the United States died due to tobacco use than homicide, car crashes, alcohol and COVID-19 combined. While all these other causes of death are found on the nightly news, we never hear about those that suffer and die from tobacco-related illnesses. That’s why the Hawaii County Youth Commission and the Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawaii Youth Council stand together in strong support of County Council Bill 102 to end the sale of flavored tobacco products.
We understand that ending the sale of flavored tobacco products impacts adults as well, but Bill 102 isn’t about adults — it’s about our keiki and the future of Hawaii. Adults will still have tobacco-flavored products to use, but flavors like Hawaiian POG, Luau Punch and Strawberry-Kiwi are clearly exploiting our culture and targeting our youth. These delicious flavors are masking the harsh taste of tobacco products, making it easier to attract and hook kids, while making it harder for them to quit.
Menthol can be found in most e-cigarette flavors under the names Frosty, Ice and Chill. It’s also the cigarette of choice for youth in Hawaii and disproportionately impacts Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders — 78% of Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islander smokers smoke menthol cigarettes.
Ninety-five percent of smokers start before the age of 21, and 8 in 10 youth who have ever tried a tobacco product started with a flavored product. In fact, high school and middle school students in Hawaii County have the highest use of e-cigarettes amongst all of the counties in the state, making this an issue Hawaii County needs to address. By continuing to allow the tobacco industry to sell their flavored products, we allow them to expand their market and addict another generation of our keiki.
We want to make sure that youth are educated about the dangers of tobacco use and the role flavors play in luring and addicting them. It’s something that members of the Youth Council and other community groups are working on, but education alone won’t solve the youth vaping crisis. We need strong policies in place as well.
One thing we don’t want to see is youth being penalized for their addiction after they have fallen victim to the tobacco industry’s marketing. What they need is not just our help to quit but assistance in preventing them from ever becoming addicted in the first place. That’s why we ask the Hawaii County Council to support our keiki by supporting Bill 102.
Kyla-Marie Turner
Hawaii County Youth Commission
Jensel Merice Jose
Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawaii Youth Council