Bill > SB468

This bill aims to repeal a previous law (Act 206 from 2018) that established statewide uniform regulations on tobacco and electronic smoking device sales, which had previously prevented local governments from creating their own regulations. The legislature's motivation stems from a significant youth tobacco use problem, with alarming statistics showing that 31% of middle school students and 48% of high school students have tried electronic smoking devices, and 18% of middle school students and 31% of high school students currently vape. By repealing the existing statutory language, the bill will allow counties and local jurisdictions in Hawaii to create their own ordinances and regulations regarding the sale of cigarettes, tobacco products, and electronic smoking devices. This change is intended to provide more flexible and localized approaches to addressing the youth vaping epidemic, enabling different communities to implement targeted restrictions based on their specific needs. The bill highlights that tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death in the United States and Hawaii, and that electronic smoking devices can contain significantly more nicotine than conventional cigarettes, making local-level regulation potentially more effective in combating youth nicotine addiction.

Health and Social Services

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=468&year=2025