HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0942.157 2006-2008
C COALITION FOR A
TOBACCO-FREE HAWAII
Date: April 18, 2008
To: Hawaii County Council, Pete Hoffmann, Chair, K. Angel Pilago, Vice Chair
Hearing Date & Time: April 22, 2008, 10:45 A.M.
Ref: Bill 224
TESTIMONY IN STRONG SUPPORT OF COUNCH OVERRIDE
Good morning Chair Hoffman, Vice Chair Pilago, and members of the Hawaii County Council. My
name is Deborah Zysman, and I am the Executive Director of the Coalition for a Tobacco-Free
Hawaii. Thank you for this opportunity to once again testify on behalf of the Coalition for a Tobacco-
Free Hawaii, in strong support of Bill 224, and to encourage the Council to override the Mayor veto.
It is our understanding that Mayor Kim believes that obtaining a smoke-free outdoor environment
could be best achieved through some type of voluntary compliance. We are somewhat perplexed by
the Mayor's position, since evidence shows that voluntary measures, though well intentioned, do not
achieve the result they were designed for. The are numerous examples of this;
• The immunization of school age children, began as a voluntary measure but later had to be
mandated by local governments/school districts to protect the health of our children while
attending schools. It wasn't until the enactment of immunization statutes that measles,
mumps, polio, diphtheria, and pertussis were brought under control and for the most part been
eliminated.
• Car seat-belts, in the early 60's automobile manufactures began installing seat-belts in cars,
however very few individuals elected to buckle-up. It wasn't until states began passing laws
requiring drivers and passengers to use seat-belts, that we began to see a major decline in
deaths from automobile accidents.
• Smoking, we all know that public education efforts to highlight the health hazards of smoking
had only modest impact. Once local governments and states began passing no-smoking work
place laws, we began to see significant declines in heart attacks, cancer rates, and lung
diseases. The future public health dollar savings will be enormous, and can be applied to other
critical health issues.
The Surgeon General has categorically stated that there is "no safe level for secondhand smoke,"
and that "scientific evidence shows that there is no risk-free level of exposure to second hand
smoke." Gomm. No 4 ' 7
Ref. ToOiOAteo I
Ref. Date APR 22 2Ong
1500 S. Beretania Street, Ste. 309 • Honolulu, f11 96826 • (808) 946-6851 phone • (808) 9466197 fax
f , COALITION FOR A
TOBACCO-FREE HAWAII
I would also like to reiterate a comment that I have made before on the intended long term benefits
that this ordinance would have on our "kamah'i". From social research, we know that children
perceive what is acceptable and what they ought to do from what they understand is a normative
behavior in a community. Creating smoke-free playgrounds, parks, and beaches will eventually
become a norm expectation by children and others who use these facilities.
Overriding Mayor Kim's veto, is the right thing to do! It will make the Big Island's air cleaner,
protect Hawai'i's pristine environment from cigarette butt liter and tobacco trash. Finally, it will
allow many individuals who suffer from lung disease the ability, perhaps for the first time in a long
time, to enjoy our outdoor facilities, parks and beaches without having to worry about an asthma or
emphysema attack because of someone smoking nearby.
Please elect to join the over 600+ communities across the United States that have passed smoke-free
parks and beach legislation.
Mahalo, for allowing me to testify before you here today, and a second mahalo for doing the right
thing and setting an example for the other County's to follow.
Respectfully,
V)" M a T~_
Deborah Zysman, MPH
Executive Director
1500 S. Beretania Street, Ste. 309 • Honolulu, 111 96826 • (808) 946-6851 phone • (808) 946-6197 fax