HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0013.190 2002-2004 June 18, 2003
Testimony on Bi11260
Coalition for a
Tobacco Free
. ~ . Good afternoon Council Members and Council Chair Arakaki
I-~awai
My name is Beth Kuch.
zss N. Kati,,, So-eer sa,re za As the Communications Coordinator for the Coalition for a Tobacco Free Hawaii, 1
H°nn[unc H/ 96817
rel, ~sns~ asz-9n ~ have had the opportunity to study other communities where they have passed
Pax_ ~ans~ sza-von smoke-free ordinances. The main reason ordinances work is because they are clear,
rvm,a.robaccofreehawai,. °ry
concise and enforceable. Making them easy to understand for the lawmakers and
Governing Board the pnb11C.
Jap Maddock Ph-D-, ('Iralr
u,,;ves,tl °f xau m r you have the opportunity to make your ordinance work -take advantage of it.
Sracv Kveasen, 1-5ce Char
l/arval7 Medmal
se.Urce As.+~°erori°~+ Just in the last month, Somerville and Cambridge, Massachusetts; Austin, Texas;
o,g~aaaa„°+ Pueblo, Colorado; and state of Connecticut have all passed 100% smoke-free
Amercaa ca"ce, s°orery workplace legislation, including bars. The states of Maine and Massachusetts have
x°u•o, I Pac fc, passed legislation and are awaiting the Governors' signatures. The law covering all
;tmerieaa //earn Association
gJxa,raf•e workplaces including bars, went into effect in Westchester County, NY
America" Luag Assoc,a6on
of°°"'°''' In Ontario, Canada, Prince Edward County became the latest to adopt a 100%
r~°"`'eY /iLSe°ier' ~e"reY smoke-free workplace law. This county is an island that is one of the best places for
°f /[mrai
xou~o„ rsro"d r°ba~~°-r.« rural living in Canada, primarily draws tourists and has a population of only 24,000.
/°a.mendap- easvwes[ r~aus After months of deliberations, committee recommendations and, at times, heated
uama, ware Deporn"enr debate, the council decided to join 40 other Ontario jurisdictions in eliminating
o~sd"`ari°" tobacco smoke in public places, including bars, restaurants, bowling alleys and pool
//au•m'i Slate Depnrtnten(
°f//eau/, halls. Exactly, what you are going through now.
xmra,'i Med,cal As.roc,avo"
nou~o!'1 Medicar In a recent article, a statement was made that we were not comparable to other
Servme A.esocme°" places that have gone smoke free. Hawaii County has a population of
+aaa, ~~°na~~°-rree Pormesn,p approximately 148,000. Somerville has population of 77,000 and Peublo about
r°na~~°o-rr~e Kaaar 100,0(10. The State of California, which has been entirely smoke-free since 1998,
~°'"oYeneYS'°~ only has 60 cities with populations over 100,000. They have 417 cities with less
/(ealrh ('enter
i°a~~a~is that 100,000 people. All of these places are going smoke free or have been smoke
Kim Ka'ule, Burnie free for years and it's been a success.
H,ye-ryenn /.ee. Ph. P.
Ke",y,/r°, We understand that each of the islands in Hawaii is special. Yet the types of
Bern Pare„:o", xs/~ businesses, the public health issues we face, and the problems caused by
A.nn„ay sagama, d. D. secondhand smoke affects all us of the same. Over the past ten months you have
heard from about 100 people testifying in person -some multiple times -signatures
smjj from hundreds of people and a significant amount of written testimony -saying
ctrlf°r~r'na"R, n~rx, cats pass the bill as is, including bars.
nrrectr,r
e"n Kacn We applaud the County Council for taking the steps to develop a strong bill yet
C°mmunrcatra"s Coordinator
~~°ai A"" sy,"°"s some of the amendments in Draft 4 will only weaken the bill. Please be an example
c.a.,~., e°°rs Advoca°y c°°.diaarrir for the other islands in passing the strongest bit I in Hawaii. ~ ~ ~
l~ unded m par, by the CORIIII. NO.
Ronerl Wnod Johnson Foundarinn Ref. 1pt
Ref. Dafe~