HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0746.055 2000-2002
P.O. Bog 2004, Honokan, Hawaii 96727, (808) 775-8054
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TO: Councilmembers Nancy Pisicchio, Chair; and Julie Jacobson, Vice-Chair, 10man
Services and Economic Development Committee, Hawaii County Council
FROM: Fred C. Holschuh, M.D.
DATE: November 26, 2002, Public Hearing in Kona
SUBJECT: Bill 260, "Relating to Smoking in Certain Places in Hawaii County" -
Chair Pisicchio, Vice-Chair Jacobson and members:
Thank you for allowing me to submit testimony in strong support of Bill 260, which will
expand areas where smoking would not be allowed in Hawaii County. I am a member of
the Governing Board of the statewide Coalition for a Tobacco Free Hawaii, and the East
Hawaii Coalition, as well as the advisory Board of the American Lung Association.
However, I am presentinx, this testimony as an individual.
As a 30-year emergency physician, I am all too familiar with the devastating and
agonizing health effects of tobacco use. The ideal ordinance would be a measure to make
all workplaces smoke free, but I realize there are concerns by owners of bars about being
smoke free.
Regarding smoke free restaurants, smoking in restaurants exposes two captive groups of
victims to second hail smoke: restaurant workers and children dining with their parents.
In response to clairns tbat ordinances requiring smoke free restaurants will adversely
affect tourism and the economy, I would like to mention a scientific study that was
discussed a, xm ting in Honolulu by one of the authors, Anne Marie Charlesworth. As
reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association, May 26, 1999, many states
and cities in the United States that have enacted restaurant smoking bps were evaluated
for changes in revenues to restaurants. There were no decreases in restaurant pa,ronage,
and in some cases, there were increases.. In some individual establishments, as much as a
30% increase in restaurart revenue occurred. This included both international and
domestic tourism.
I would like to make some final points:
Comm. No.
File No.
Ise g 0
f. Date G it 26
Bill 260, November 26, 2002, Public Dearing
-Page 2-
Environmental tobacco smoke (secondhand smoke) is clearly a health hazard that
no person should Dave to cn4ure. This has never been about people's rigobt to
smoke, but abmat tl rights of non-smokers not to be exposed to smoke from
other people.
Although the ideal approach to ensure the best protection for people would be to
include free standing bars and nightclubs in a smoke free -xorkp e ordinance,
spew,.€ng personally, I would rather see snwkc free workplace protection pass now
without free st ::nding bars and nightclubs, than have the b=ffl not go forward.
The only way we as a society will ever get a handle on decreasing the numbers of
children . who Ix-gin coking end start on the path to becoming enslaved by
nicotiree addiction, t to have responsiblc tobacco control begin 7;-ith adult role
models. The jx;xental non-smoking role model is the most powerful "demand
reduction" tool in keeping children from tobacco use.
11 Finally, I want to make it vers clear, that I live, been working on Tobacco control
issues, including the Honol€ h< smoke free restaurant ordfiiaince for many years,
long before xny candidacy for the Hawaii County Council began.
I applaud Councilm.; tubers Leithead-Todd and Tyler for sponsoring this bill, and
Councilaiembers P€ aicchio and Jacobson for holding the public hearings, and urge the
council to move the bil forward.
Respectfully submitted;
, r'
1~~J_ Fred C. Holschuh, M.D.