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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0593.023 2022-2024 firalgVit g1IL 02 CoVim. 515 894 Queen Street Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 Phone: 808.59550 , www.papaolalt'ahi. c'� Papa Ola Lokahi Nana 1 Ka Pono Na Ma - —�t Hawai`i County Council Wednesday,December 6,2023 fi RE: Bill 102—Relating to Flavored Tobacco Products U.)7 Position: SUPPORT '" Papa Ola Lokahi (POL) testifies in SUPPORT of Bill 102, which seeks to prohibit the sale of flavored tobacco products within the jurisdiction of the Hawaii County Council, should the Hawaii State Legislature repeal its preemption language around tobacco sales at a local level. Papa Ola Lokahi supports efforts that aim to protect the health of our communities, such as limiting access to tobacco products, including electronic smoking devices and other vapor products, which are known to increase the risk of adverse health outcomes. Data from the 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that nearly 1 in 3 of Hawaii's high school youth reported ever trying a vape product, and almost 1 in 7 high school youth in Hawaii currently use an electronic vaping device. With the availability of flavored tobacco products, our youth are being targeted at younger ages to become the next generation of adult smokers. If we are to protect the health and safety of our youth and future generations, we must continue to examine policies and take meaningful action to ensure policies are meeting the needs of our communities. We must also examine the existing disparities and ensure policies aim to close the health disparity gap between racial groups. The 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey also found racial inequity, with 21.5% of Native Hawaiian high school students and 12.3% of Native Hawaiian middle school youth reporting currently smoking or using electronic smoking devices, compared to the general student population reporting 15.4%and 7.4%respectively.Native Hawaiian high school students reported active use of vapor products more than nearly all other racial groups in Hawaii, and the same survey found that Native Hawaiian high school youth within Hawai`i County report experimenting with cigarettes and electronic vaping devices at a higher rate than all other counties in Hawaii.Furthermore,according to the 2019 Youth Tobacco Survey, one in three Native Hawaiian youth cites the availability of flavors as the reason they use vape products, underpinning the need to curb tobacco companies' ability to make these products easily accessible.We must also consider that our youth's neural development is at risk,and using tobacco products during this developmental stage puts them at increased risk of developing a nicotine addiction. It is evident that using tobacco products increases adverse health outcomes, exacerbates these outcomes among vulnerable groups, and deepens health disparities. Creating tailored tobacco control policies, such as a prohibition on flavored tobacco products,that are poised and ready to go into effect should the Hawaii State Legislature repeal their preemption limitations is an effective way to address public health needs at a local level with the urgency our communities need. We mustn't allow private interests to create environments that negatively impact the health outcomes of those most vulnerable in our communities,our keiki. Comm. No. ''fi�b. . Ref. To: 11 uI\i it Ref. Dater OEC _ 5 2023 Mahalo piha for the opportunity to provide testimony in STRONG SUPPORT of this critical issue and for helping to safeguard the health and safety of the keiki and communities of Hawai`i. Papa Ola Lokahi,the Native Hawaiian Health Board,authorized by the federal Native Hawaiian Health Care Improvement Act, is charged with raising the health status of Native Hawaiians to the highest possible level, which we achieve through strategic partnerships,programs,and public policy.