Bill Text: HI HR49 | 2013 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Smoking on Beaches; Prohibition

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-03-14 - Referred to EEP/HLT, FIN, referral sheet 37 [HR49 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2013-HR49-Introduced.html

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	49
TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2013
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

 

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO CONDUCT A STUDY ON the feasibility of PROHIBITING SMOKING ON HAWAII'S PUBLIC BEACHES.

 

 

 

     WHEREAS, tourism is the mainstay of the state economy, with approximately one out of every three jobs in the State linked directly or indirectly to the tourism industry; and

 

     WHEREAS, for both residents and visitors alike, the State's beautiful beaches and coastlines, clean air, and other renowned natural resources make the Fiftieth State an ideal place to live and visit; and

 

     WHEREAS, according to the 2009 study "Litter in America" by Keep America Beautiful, tobacco products, consisting mainly of cigarette butts, are the most littered item in America, representing nearly 38 percent of all items; and

 

     WHEREAS, Hawaii's famed beaches are littered with cigarette filters, or cigarette butts; and

 

     WHEREAS, as an example, in a recent beach cleanup at Waikiki Beach, 1,500 cigarette butts were collected in a span of one hour, and cigarette butts were reported to be the type of litter found the most; and

 

     WHEREAS, cigarette butts not only contain toxins from tobacco, they are also made of cellulose acetate, a plastic that takes decades to degrade and leaves a toxic residue in the environment that creates a hazard to Hawaii's indigenous species and other wildlife; and

 

     WHEREAS, while there are littering laws, these laws have not been a deterrent to individuals who continue to violate the law, causing significant cost to the State and counties to control litter and other pollutants; and
     WHEREAS, from a health perspective, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that secondhand smoke exposure causes lung cancer and cardiovascular and respiratory diseases in nonsmoking adults and children, and causes an estimated 46,000 heart disease deaths among United States nonsmoking adults each year; and

 

     WHEREAS, there is growing concern that outdoor secondhand smoke can pose a health hazard to both people and the environment; and

 

     WHEREAS, secondhand smoke concentrations in outdoor settings can be comparable to smoke concentrations in indoor settings; and

 

     WHEREAS, there is a compelling basis to institute a smoking ban in outdoor areas and, several cities, including Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City, have enacted such smoke-free laws; and

 

     WHEREAS, to preserve Hawaii's precious natural resources, natural beauty, and culture for both residents and visitors, it is necessary to start by protecting Hawaii's beaches from the dangers of cigarette smoking and the littering of cigarette butts or filters; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-seventh Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2013, that the Department of Health is requested to conduct a study that examines:

 

(1)  The harmful effects of smoking on Hawaii's public beaches, including adverse health and environmental effects, and littering;

 

(2)  The effects of secondhand smoke in outdoor areas such as beaches;

 

(3)  What other states are doing to address the effects of secondhand smoke in outdoor areas such as beaches, including legislation from other states and any plans states have implemented to ban smoking on beaches and the outcome of those plans; and

 

(4)  Other options to reduce the harmful effects of smoking on Hawaii's beaches, including adverse health and environmental effects, and littering; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2014; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Health.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title: 

Smoking on Beaches; Prohibition