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<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> February 20, 2008 <br /> <br /> TO: Council Chairman Pete Hoffmann & Council Members <br /> Hawaii County Council <br /> <br /> FR: Devyn Park <br /> <br /> RE: WRITTEN TESTIMONY IN PSU PORT OF BILL 224, <br /> Relating To Smoking in Certain Places in the County of Hawaii <br /> First Reading, Public Hearing on Thursday, February 21, 2008 <br /> My name is Devyn Park and I am a freshman at Kealakehe High School and a member <br /> of the West Hawaii Fisheries council and I strongly support Bill 224, which would make <br /> all County of Hawaii parks and beaches smoke-free, reduce toxic litter, and send the <br /> message that tobacco use is not the social norm in our community. <br /> <br /> My family and I use the beaches regularly and feel that the following reasons are some <br /> of the key points why Bill 224 should be passed: <br /> • I know asthmatic people whom I go to the beach with and need to move if <br /> someone is smoking around me at the beach. And it is a proven fad that second <br /> hand smoke is one of the leading causes of lung cancer. <br /> • 3,000 new youth become addicted everyday to tobacco. We must send a strong, <br /> positive message to youth that reinforces what they learn in school - that <br /> tobacco use is ham?ful and not socially acceptable. <br /> • Cigarettes butts on the beach are harmful to young children and sea life such as <br /> ghost crabs. Young children who eat cigarette butts will have to get their stomach <br /> pumped and ghost crab populations have been proven to be negatively affected <br /> in areas of high cigarette butt concentration. <br /> • Tobacco littler from cigarette butts, plastic wrappers and cartons are the number <br /> one litter problem we have on our beaches, toxins leach into the earth and ocean <br /> and litter is ingested by coastal birds, sea turtles and fish. <br /> • Over 80% of Big Island residents do rat smoke - have chosen a healthy Miedyle <br /> and have the right to breath dean air. <br /> Secondhand smoke is a Class-A carcinogen - same as asbestos - there are no safe <br /> levels of exposure. It is the responsibility of government to protect the pubWs health, <br /> including while enjoying HawaiTs parks and beaches. Bill 224 will effectively provide a <br /> dean and healthy environment for Hawaii's keikb, ohana, visitors and w7dlife, making <br /> visiting a8 County parks and beaches a more enjoyable experience. <br /> Please accept this as written testimony in support of this bill. <br /> <br /> rely, <br /> <br /> vyn Park <br /> 73 4789 Halolani St <br /> Kailua Kona HI 98740 <br /> indvcatfthawaii. m. com <br /> 8089870014 nn''rr <br /> Comm. No. 'F T°~• <br /> Ref. To. COUAaT <br /> Ref. Date U8 Z 2038 <br />