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<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Murashige, Laura <br /> <br /> From: Lila Johnson [lila@hawaii.rr.com] <br /> Sent: Tuesday, February 19, 2008 9:41 PM <br /> To: counciltestimony@co.hawaii.hi.us <br /> Subject: Please vote to support Bill 224. <br /> To: Hawai?i County Council <br /> Re: TESTIMONY IN SUPPORT OF BILL 224 <br /> Relating To Prohibition of Smoking in Certain Places Council hearing: February 21, 2008 <br /> I strongly support Bill 224, which would prohibit using tobacco products at all Hawai?i <br /> County parks and beaches. <br /> <br /> I am not a resident but I do own property in Hawai?i County. I am gratified to see how <br /> progressive this County Council is in demonstrating its concern for the families and <br /> children on the Big Island by considering legislation that will result in positive <br /> behavior change. The beauty of this bill is its focus on changing social norms about <br /> tobacco use through the enactment of strong local tobacco control policies. <br /> Policy and environmental change strongly influence smoking initiation and cessation. <br /> Removal of environmental stimuli like flagrant smoking in places where families gather <br /> along the simultaneous creation of environmental disincentives such as bans on tobacco at <br /> recreational sites have been proven to alter the personal, psychological, and sociological <br /> utility of smoking. <br /> A second reason for enacting such a law is the litter issue. Discarding tobacco detritus <br /> on beaches and in parks is vulgar and inconsiderate behavior. It creates an environment <br /> that is unsightly, unclean, and particularly hazardous to small children who could naively <br /> ingest the butts they pick up. What message are we sending our children when their places <br /> of play are polluted with the trash that smokers leave behind? Children and families <br /> deserve clean, healthy places to enjoy outdoor activities. <br /> I strongly encourage the Council to vote YES to pass Bill 224. Last year, Kahalu?u Beach <br /> Park in Kona went smoke-free. The rest of the island deserves that honor as well. <br /> Passing Bill 224 will make visiting all our parks and beaches more enjoyable. <br /> Please accept this as written testimony in support of this bill. <br /> Sincerely, <br /> Statewide Coalition Coordinator Lila Johnson Statewide Coalition Coordinator PO Box 161258 <br /> P.O. Box 161258 Honolulu, hl 96816 <br /> 373-9323 ~o <br /> C' m <br /> T <br /> CO n ~ ri3 <br /> r: p <br /> <br /> <br /> CO <br /> W <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> g~ <br /> Comm. No. 711A. <br /> Ref. To:'rr"SAW <br /> 1 Ref, Date-FEE 21 gnna <br />