HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 1091.014 2012-2014PIPSM7G
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Murashige, Laura
From: Sally Ancheta < sally @tobaccofreehawaii.org>
Sent: Monday, October 13, 2014 10:08 AM
To: Council Testimony
Cc: Forrest Batz; Leimomi Shearer; Cyd Hoffeld (choffeld @bayclinic.org); Cecily Nago; Julia
Zee (zee @hawaii.edu); Jennifer Griffith; Shelly Ogata; Kamaka, Charmaine; Elena Cabatu;
Holly Kaakimaka; Tami MacAller
Subject: Strong Support for Hawaii County Bill 302
Attachments: HC Bill 302 Committee Testimony SAncheta final.docx
Mahalo Hawaii County Council for making all Hawai 'i County Parks, Beaches, Recreation Facilities & All Vehicles with
minors present SMOKE -FREE & for raising the age of sale of ALL tobacco products to age 21!
T A47&
E DCAC OCT 2 __4_._.
Aloha Hawai' i County Council,
Please see my attached testimony which strongly supports Bill No. 302.
_
w
Mahalo nui,
-
Sally Ancheta
CD
v
Coalition for a Tobacco -Free Hawaii
East Hawaii Community Coalition Coordinator
sally @tobaccofreehawaii.org
www.tobaccofreehawaii.org
(808) 936 -2686
Mahalo Hawaii County Council for making all Hawai 'i County Parks, Beaches, Recreation Facilities & All Vehicles with
minors present SMOKE -FREE & for raising the age of sale of ALL tobacco products to age 21!
T A47&
E DCAC OCT 2 __4_._.
COALITION FOR A
TOBACCO -FREE HAWAII
To: The Honorable Brenda Ford, Chair, Committee on Public Safety and Mass Transit
And the Honorable Members of the Hawai'i County Council
From: Sally Ancheta, CTFH East Hawai'i Community Coalition Coordinator
Date: October 13, 2014
Hrg: Public Safety Committee; Tues., October 14, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. in West Hawai'i Civic
Center Chambers
Re: Strong Support for HC Bill 302, Relating to Electronic Smoking Devices
Thank you for the opportunity to offer testimony in strong support of HC Bill No. 302, which
regulates electronic smoking devices (ESDs).
The Coalition for a Tobacco Free Hawaii (Coalition) is a program of the Hawaii Public Health
Institute working to reduce tobacco use through education, policy and advocacy.
The Coalition supports including ESDs by amending chapter 14 (general welfare), article 4
of the Hawaii county code 1983 (2005 edition, as amended) relating to prohibition of
smoking in certain places and the use of electronic smoking devices, which will provide for
further consistency and protection in the workplace, and other areas where tobacco use is
prohibited in Hawaii County.
HC Bill 302 adds and amends important definitions of the law, which are critical to allowing
consistency among all of Hawaii County's smoking laws. Confusion of smoking prohibitions
results without such definitions in place. Furthermore, emerging research shows dual use where
cigarette users switch to ESDs in locations they are not permitted to smoke.I Allowing the use
of ESDs in locations where smoking is prohibited is problematic in that ESD use threatens the
social norm, creates distractions in the workplace, and undercuts years of progress by tobacco
control groups.
Currently in Hawaii, ESDs are not regulated at any level; therefore all emissions and chemicals
released in exhalation are also unregulated. ESDs do not emit harmless water vapor, but emit an
aerosol that contains nicotine, ultra -fine particles, volatile organic compounds, and other toxins.2
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not found consistent control processes
within the manufacturing of ESDs. Restricting ESD use is a growing trend across the US. At
least 110 counties restrict the use of ESDs, including New York City, Los Angeles, Long Beach,
and San Diego.
1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Notes from the field: electronic cigarette use among middle
and high school students -- United States, 2011 -2012. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2013;62:729 -730. Available
at ht!p://www.cdc.gov/inmwr/preview/mniwrhtml/mm6235a6.hti-n?s cid= mm6235a6 w
2 Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights, `Electronic (e -) Cigarettes and Secondhand Aerosol ", available at http: / /no-
smoke.or,/pdf /eci garette- secondhand- aerosol.pdf.
850 Richards Street Suite 200 • Honolulu, HI 96813 • (808) 591 -6508 • www.tobaccofreehawaii.org
*The Coalition for a Tobacco -Free Hawaii is a program of the Hawaii Public Health Institute
COALITION FOR A
TOBACCO - FREE HAWAII
Manufacturers and retailers acknowledge that ESDs contain nicotine, are addictive and habit -
forming, are intended for committed smokers, and should not be used by women who are
pregnant or persons with an elevated risk of any medical condition, including, but not limited to,
heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure or asthma.3
I have seen first -hand the tension among staff who feel violated when a co- worker is using an
ESD inside the workplace. As a former tobacco treatment specialist, I facilitated a quit smoking
program in 2010 which both staff and clients of a mental health agency were attempting to quit
smoking as a group. I conducted a follow -up group six months later with new clients and the
same staff. Employees who were trying to quit felt violated by staff who used an ESD inside the
work place. Their sense of well -being to breather clean air was jeopardized and their ability to
remain smoke -free was extremely compromised in that work place.
In closing, according to recent public opinion polls conducted in 2014 in Hawai'i County, 70%
of our residents support including ESD's in the Smoke -Free workplace law. We have also
collected over 500 petition signatures in the last month at several events in both East and West
Hawai' i.
We respectfully ask you to pass this measure to ensure the safety of everyone. Thank you for the
opportunity to testify on this matter.
Sally Ancheta
East Hawaii Community Coalition Coordinator
3 http://www.ejuiceusa.com/wamings --- read-me.12hp; www.vapedudes.com /; ht!p://www.vaportokers.co
http://www.virginvnor.com/; http://www.voicanoecigs.com/about-us
850 Richards Street Suite 200 • Honolulu, HI 96813 • (808) 591 -6508 • www.tobaccofreehawaii.or
*The Coalition for a Tobacco -Free Hawaii is a program of the Hawaii Public Health Institute