HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0972.004 2004-2006
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Murashige, Laura
From: Donna Goodale [donna@goodale.org]
Sent: Tuesday, July 18, 2006 7:50 AM
To: counciltestimony@co.hawaii.hi.us
Cc: Bevanmarquez, Jean; 'Marni Herkes'; Sara Peck
Subject: last testimony for smoking ban
To Whom It May Concern: this last testimonial came in after 10 last night. Please include it in the information
distributed to the committee members if at all possible.
Thank you.
Donna Goodaee
Comm. No.
Ref. Top it ESM
Ref. Date
7/18/2006
Name: Phoebe Hono
Date: July 15, 2006
Age: 13
Grade: Going into 8th
Address: 74- 808 Uluaoa st. Kailua Kona HI 96740
Phone: 557 -9654, 326-1140
E-mail: gophermala@hotmail.com
Banning Smoking from Kahalu'u Beach
The West Hawaii Youth Fisheries Council would like to ban smoking
from Kahalu'u Beach Park. It is an annoyance to people and a hazard to
the animals. Kahalu'u beach is known as one of the best snorkeling
places on the Big Island. Tourists go there to look at the fish and
coral but if people carelessly toss their used cigarettes in the water
and sand, some day the fish and coral may not be there. Some of the
chemical in cigarettes have been proven to cause cancer and are toxic
to fish, echinoderms, crustaceans and other marine animals. If the
used cigarette filters go in the water and the toxins go into the
animals, eventually the animals will die, leaving Kahalu'u with out any
fish or other animals like shrimp and star fish that tourist normally
like to look at; resulting in not much of a snorkeling place; resulting
in less tourism. Most businesses in Hawaii depend on tourism and with
out tourist many people would loose their jobs.
People throw their cigarette filters in the sand without even
taking notice. If people come to the beach with young children, they
can't let their kids play in the sand with the fear of having their
children play with or even eat a used cigarette. The U.S.A. Poison
Centers receive thousands of calls about children eating tobacco
products, such as cigarettes. It is also disturbing when you are
walking through the sand and you find that an used cigarette is stuck
in between your toes, which, has happened to me many time. A few kids
went to Kahalu'u to pick up cigarettes and in thirty minutes time, they
picked up 2068 used cigarettes in the sand. It is also a health hazard
and an annoyance if you are sitting behind a smoker because you
constantly get second hand smoke in your face, and, according to
current research, cigarettes contain sixty different chemicals that
cause cancer.
Cigarettes made up 33% of the trash picked up on Hawaiian beaches
during the 2001 International Coastal Cleanup. Also, it is not like
they go away quickly, taking an average of 7 years to disintegrate.
Other beaches across America have started ban smoking such as
Hanama Bay and Solana Beach in California. The West Hawaii Youth
Fisheries Council would like to preserve our beach and make Kahalu'u a
nonsmoking beach too!