HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 1091.063 2012-2014PIMUNCLL
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Murashiqe, Laura
From: Wessel, Leinani on behalf of Kanuha, Dru
Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2014 8:50 AM
To: Murashige, Laura
Subject: FW: Support for Bill 302
Attachments: HC Bill 302 Committee Testimony SAncheta First Reading.pdf
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Council testimony1
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CounciC -Aide to Councilman Dru Xanuha -'
Hawaii County Council
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From: Sally Ancheta [mailto :sally @tobaccofreehawaii.org]
Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2014 8:44 AM
To: Yoshimoto, J; Ford, Brenda; Kanuha, Dru; Poindexter, Valerie; Onishi, Dennis; Ilagan, Greggor; Kern, Zendo; Wille,
Margaret; Eoff, Karen
Subject: RE: Support for Bill 302
Aloha Honorable Chair Yoshirnoto and IIawai'i County Council Members,
Please accept the attached written testirnor)Y in Strom; support of Flawai'i County Bill No. 302
which will be heard tomorrow at the First Reading of the bill.
Mahalo fir VOLII- si►pport of this much needed legislation,
Sall-v Ancheta
Coalition for a Tobacco -Free Hawaii
East Hawaii Community Coalition Coordinator
sally @tobaccofreehawaii.org
www.tobaccofreehawaii.org
(808) 936 -2686
Mohalo Howai'i County Council for making al! 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!
Comm. No.
Ref. To: k
Ref. Date
I
COALITION FOR A
TOBACCO -FREE HAWAI'1
To: The Honorable J Yoshimoto, Chair, Hawaii County Council
And the Honorable Members of the Hawai' i County Council
From: Sally Ancheta, CTFH East Hawaii Community Coalition Coordinator
Date: November 19, 2014
Hrg: Hawaii County Council Meeting -First Reading at 9:15 am.in West Hawai'i Civic
Center- Council 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 the inclusion of 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
Hawai' i 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. Emerging research shows dual use where cigarette
users switch to ESDs in locations they are not permitted to smoke.' 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.
Over the past several weeks, I have conducted Tobacco Use & ESD presentations in Waiakea
High School's 91'' grade Health Classes. In each presentation of approximately 30 students per
class, only two to three students have tried a traditional cigarette, while at least 10 students per
class, one -third of each class, tried an ESD. I spoke with nearly 20 middle school students
yesterday at Kea' au Middle School and all students knew what an ESD was and had either tried
an ESD or knew a current ESD user.
This is a growing concern among public health educators in Hawaii. By eliminating the use of
ESD's where tobacco use is not permitted, we are de- normalizing the behavior of smoking and
protecting the public from all forms of smoke and aerosol.
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 hqp://www.cdc.E4ov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/i-nm6235a6.htm?s cid= mm6235a6 w
850 Richards Street Suite 200 • Honolulu, HI 96813 • (808) 591 -6508 • www.tobaccofreehawaii.ore
*The Coalition for a Tobacco -Free Hawaii is a program of the Hawaii Public Health Institute
COALITION FOR A
TOBACCO -FREE HAWAII
ESDs do not emit harmless water vapor, but emit an aerosol that contains nicotine, ultra -fine
particles, volatile organic compounds, and other toxins such as Acetaldehyde, Benzene, Cadmiun,
Formaldehyde, Isoprene, Lead, Nickel, N- Nitrosonornicotine, Toluene 2 The U.S. Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) continues to research and develop control processes around the
manufacturing of ESDs. Restricting ESD use is a growing trend across the U.S. due to the
increasing amount of information on the harmful components within and being emitted by ESDs.
At least 110 U.S. counties restrict the use of ESDs, including New York City, Los Angeles, Long
Beach, and San Diego. Most ESD policies include restricting them indoors as well as outdoor
areas to protect people from smoke and aerosol.
In closing, you have seen and heard the strong community support for Bill 302, from Jenn
Griffith, Tobacco Treatment Specialist & Behavioral Health Specialist at Bay Clinic; from
Shelly Ogata from the Office of Aging who has been recently diagnosed with asthma; and the
youth of East Hawaii via their written testimony from Mr. Waki's Health Class at Waiakea High
School. By including ESD's into all of our smoke -free and tobacco -free laws, we will protect
the health of our residents and visitors from all smoke and aerosol.
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 Hawai' i Community Coalition Coordinator
2 Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights, "Electronic (e -) Cigarettes and Secondhand Aerosol ", available at http://no-
smoke ore /ndf /ecigarette- 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