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<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> COALITION FOR A <br /> V TOBACCO -FREE HAWAII <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Date: February 4, 2008 <br /> <br /> To: Hawaii County Council, Committee on Public Safety and Parks and Recreation. Donald Ikeda, <br /> Chair & J Yoshimoto, Vice Chair <br /> <br /> Hearing Date & Time- February 5,2008,9:30 A.M. <br /> <br /> Referral: Communication 942 (Bill 224) <br /> <br /> Testimony in Strong Support <br /> <br /> Good morning Chair Ikeda, Vice Chair Yoshimoto, and members of the Committee on Public Safety <br /> <br /> and Parks and Recreation. My name is Deborah Zysman, I am the Executive Director of the Coalition <br /> for a Tobacco-Free Hawaii. The Coalition is a statewide association of non-profit organizations, <br /> <br /> businesses, and 2,000 individuals committed to working together to reduce the negative impact of <br /> tobacco on the health of Hawaii's children, adults, and visitors. Many of our members live, work, and <br /> <br /> raise families on the Big Island. <br /> <br /> <br /> I am here today to offer testimony in support of the proposed ordinance that would prohibit smoking <br /> on all parks, beaches, playgrounds, and recreation facilities in Hawaii County. Two years ago, the <br /> <br /> Coalition along with many partner organizations undertook a campaign to make all workplaces and <br /> public places free from the hazards of secondhand smoke. Last year we supported the effort to make <br /> <br /> Kahalu'u Beach Park in Kailua-Kona smoke-free, thus enhancing the beaches appeal to families, <br /> children and visitors. <br /> <br /> <br /> The Hawai'i County Council is to be commended for taking the first-steps to make the big island's <br /> <br /> outdoor facilities smoke-free. In doing so it joins the 615 municipalities in the United States have <br /> prohibited smoking in public outdoor places including parks and beaches. The greatest <br /> <br /> concentration of smoke-free parks & beaches is the 60 mile area in Southern California from Malibu <br /> in the north of Los Angeles County to San Clemente in south Orange County. (map attached). Three <br /> <br /> countries, Australia, Japan, and Spain have begun to designate certain popular beaches as smoke-free. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> 1500 S. Beretania Street, Ste. 309 • Honolulu, HI 96826 • (808) 946-6851 phone • (808) 946-6197 fax <br />