Younger than 100? Soon, you might not be able to smoke cigarettes in Hawaii.

[Zorro]

Lawmakers in Hawaii have proposed legislation that would begin phasing out cigarettes in the state, banning them altogether within the next several years.

At least, for people younger than 100.

The bipartisan bill, H.B. 1509, aims to raise the legal minimum age to use cigarettes to exclude everyone but centenarians by 2024 to “keep people healthy and alive in the Aloha State,” state Rep. Cynthia Thielen (R), one of the sponsors of the bill, said Tuesday afternoon in a phone interview with The Washington Post.

“I know it may be a hard road,” Thielen added, “but you have to take that first, strong step — and that’s what we’re doing.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2019/02/05/younger-than-soon-you-might-not-be-able-smoke-cigarettes-hawaii/

Shades of the Prohibition era...

[Drahthaardogs]

1. Good!

Its self inflicted damage that affects insurance rates. I have no tolerance or sympathy.

[Odoreida]

37. If I were a mobster in Hawaii, I'd be very happy right now.

Will still be in business smuggling tobacco from California, now that marijuana is about to be legalized.

[MontanaMama]

2. Interesting.

Let’s see what Cha and our other DUers from the islands have to say about this.

[pandr32]

7. I am hearing complaints

...and vows to illegally import and sell on the black market.
We live on the Big Island and I couldn't be happier due to unpleasant reactions to cigarette smoke. The butts are litter everywhere, too, so it really spoils the natural beauty and environment.
Unfortunately, many people smoke here and don't see it as anyone else's business.

[Cha]

10. Aloha, pandr! I said the same about so many peeps

smoke here. I can't stand it.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=11791704

[Cha]

9. Aloha, MontanaMama...

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=11791704

[Aristus]

3. It may have as much to do with cigarette butt litter as public health.

Smokers are the most exuberantly, blissfully careless litterers on the planet.

If you polled every smoker in the world, they would no doubt tell you that they either carefully place their cigarette butt in an ashtray when they're done with it, or else pains-takingly field-strip the butt, scatter the tobacco, and put the butt-end filter in their pocket until it can be disposed of properly.

Every single smoker you poll will tell you they do this.

Which makes the trillions of cigarette butts littering the planet and polluting the oceans hard, if not impossible, to explain...

The citizens of Hawaii no doubt wish to keep their lovely islands clean and beautiful.

[MontanaMama]

4. +1

Every single day I see people fling cigarette butts out their car windows into the street. I see butts on the banks of our precious rivers. I see them on the trails that lead to the wilderness area near my home. It’s disgusting, unnecessary and ugly. I like a nice bottle of wine but I don’t drive when I drink it and I don’t litter my bottles for others to deal with. Good on Hawaii.

[Zorro]

19. $100 fines for flicking your butts on the ground might put a stop to such littering

[LakeSuperiorView]

31. I'd like to see a "Keep your butt in your car" law

Every left turn lane I've ever seen, the ground next to it has enough butts to not see 5 square inches of dirt free of litter.

Maybe put a deposit system in place, a nickle or dime a butt, redeemable at a recycle facility. The most common litter used to be pull tabs from soda and beer cans - we solved that. Now, it's cigarette butts. We are seeing bans on plastic bags and straws, why not some action on cigarette butts?

[UniteFightBack]

5. I for one find this disturbing. nt

[Zorro]

6. Me too.

Yes it's unhealthy. So is drinking alcohol.

[demosincebirth]

22. Think of lung cancer and emphysema. Anyone here

On DU has known someone who has died from cancer or illnesses related to smoking.

[pnwmom]

23. Doesn't weed carry risks like that? And states are moving to make it legal now. n/t

[demosincebirth]

24. We're discussing cigarettes. I know nothing about weed.

[pnwmom]

25. Me, neither. But it seems odd to make cigarettes illegal while weed is getting legalized.

[Cha]

8. Wow! So many people smoke here..

Thankfully I live in a smoke free environment..

Also the bus stops, thankfully, just posted signs saying.. you have to be at least 20 feet away.

[MontanaMama]

11. I wondered what you thought about this.

I’m visiting Kauai for the first time next month. I hate cigarette smoke!! Is smoking allowed in restaurants? I can’t wait to see your beautiful state!!

[Cha]

12. So Happy you get to come to Kauai!

No, smoking is Not allowed in restaurants.

I hate it, also.. 2nd hand smoke is obnoxious and dangerous too.. I hold my nose and run past it when I get my first whiff out of some parked car or anywhere.

Do you know where you're staying when you get here?

[MontanaMama]

13. I'm going with my husband's cousin...

Staying at a vrbo on the north shore, I believe. Now that you mention it, I’d better double check that location! But, I think that’s right. I haven’t seen the ocean for almost 4 years and I can’t wait.

[Cha]

14. Aww.. that is so Cool.. and I hope

it doesn't rain much on the North Shore for you two.

The weather changes fast here and is different all over the Island. I just bought a new umbrella and it should be here soon!

[MontanaMama]

16. Even if it rains, I don't mind.

I’m thrilled to get out of the snow, ice and the wind for a whole week. I remember reading about the north being a little drier and thought we would give that a shot. I just want to breath the salt air, do a little birdwatching, see local art and eat some amazing food. My needs are simple.


🌅 🏝 🍹 Aloha Cha!

[Cha]

17. There's more jungle on the North Shore,

beautiful beaches, and lots of local art. There actually is more rain on that side of the Island, though.

Your needs will be met!

Aloha, Montana Mama!

[marlakay]

18. Rain and Kaui oh my!

Took my daughter last April north shore got there night before the storm. Stuck for days, no water or electricity for a few days, pool closed for 5 days. A mess!

But, whinnying aside I felt horrible for the locals and this was my first trip to Hawaii where I didn’t swim in ocean and i was there two weeks.

[Cha]

20. I'm so sorry.. I saw the pics..

it was awful how much came down.. relentless.

That's what I was thinking about when I was saying it rains more on the North Shore. But, I didn't want to go into all the back story for her coming on her first trip to Kauai.

I don't think it's going to do that again for a while.

It's rained all over the Island for months but Hanalei and surrounding area on the North Shore got it the worst!

Sorry, marlakay.. you and your daughter were stuck in a freak storm.. probably one of the few times people were glad to leave Kauai.

[marlakay]

21. I knew it was freak storm

We had a ever other year time share in princeville and have been to Kauai at least ten times and rain never lasts more than a few hours or less. I actually love the rainbows.

I was being a baby, it was my last time there before i gave time share to daughter and was looking forward to swimming with the fishies.

[mokawanis]

15. booze, and countless other unhealthy products, will remain readily available

cuz booze doesn't hurt people like tobacco does...

[onetexan]

26. I dont smoke nor do i condone it but banning it would be

The equivalent of probibition. It's no different than banning booze. Furthermore, if they ban smoking they'd have to ban tobacco chewing, pipe smoking, chewing gum, etc.

[Meowmee]

27. Like prohibition

It won’t work and it will create more crime/ bootlegging etc.

[melm00se]

30. Ding Ding Ding

We have a winner.

Prohibitions have provided fertile ground for organized crime to grow, flourish and exert significant and pernicious influence where ever they are.

[Amishman]

28. At the same time they are working to legalize pot

Seems bizarre and hypocritical to be backdoor banning one smoked drug laden cancer causing plant when simultaneously trying to legalize another

I do not agree on trying to ban cigarettes, people should have the freedom to use them if they want. The risks are known, it is their choice. Pot should be the same way

[BannonsLiver]

41. Not even close to being the same

And there are other ways to consume it. Edibles, vapor, liquid. Try to let go of the “Reefer Madness” mentality.

[Amishman]

42. I directly stated both should be legal

There is no 'reefer madness' mentality in my post.

[Dorian Gray]

29. Cigarettes are so bad for you

that I'm of mixed opinion about this. Prohibition doesn't work. Making hem prohibitively expensive may.

[melm00se]

32. Canada is seeing

the impact of making (or attempting to make) cigarettes prohibitively expensive

https://www.ctvnews.ca/w5/organized-crime-behind-contraband-tobacco-costs-governments-billions-1.3864360

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-federal-provincial-governments-target-illegal-tobacco-with-new/

[Dorian Gray]

33. I believe they do that here in NY State, too

I know people who have driven up to a reservation to buy them.

It's not just a Canadian thing.

[Midwestern Democrat]

34. Jacking up the price of cigarettes is really causing hardship for low income people. In the last 10

or so years, I have witnessed something happening every single day that you used to almost never see - every single day, people dig out all of the smoked cigarette butts out of outdoor ashtrays - so they can roll whatever unsmoked tobacco that is in these butts into cigarettes - and these aren't homeless people either. Whenever I encounter them, I give them a couple of cigarettes to help them out - I'm not happy to see people who are living pretty hard lives as it is being forced to go through the indignity of digging out smoked cigarette butts out of ashtrays.

[Dorian Gray]

36. I know...

I agree.

But the health consequences can also have a devastating effect, especially if they are uninsured.

NYC has subsidized programs to help people quit. But, of course, someone has to want to quit.

I don't know what the answer is, but tobacco companies owe society a lot for their decades long refusal to admit that they were poisoning bodies.

[Leith]

35. Here's a different angle nobody seems to have thought of

Hawaii is a big tourist destination. Chinese people have been getting more prosperous lately and they have money to spend and they want to travel. Same with India and the rest of eastern Asia.

Approximately 1/3 of men in China smoke. If they find out that they will not be able to smoke in Hawaii, they may decide to spend their money in places like Thailand, Vietnam, or any number of other places with sunny beaches where nobody cares if they light up.

Hawaii may want to think a little more about this idea of banning tobacco products entirely before passing laws. They could designate zones where smoking is allowed, for example.

[fescuerescue]

38. I'll just have my 101 year friends buy it for me

[panader0]

39. Car exhaust causes more pollution. Ban cars!

[milestogo]

40. I wish they'd stop smoking in my non-smoking apartment building.

I have air filters in my apartment for other people's smoke.

[ecstatic]

43. What would the penalty be? Fines? Jail?

I hope they're not planning to criminalize smoking. And I'm asking as someone who hates all types of smoking.