Raising the smoking age has been an ongoing subject of debate.
Hawaii may become the first state to raise the legal smoking age to 21 as a bill preventing adolescents from smoking, buying or possessing cigarettes is being reviewed by Governor David Ige, according to Fox News.
“It’s definitely groundbreaking legislation,” stated Jessica Yumauchi, executive director of the Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawaii.
“It’s amazing to be the first state in something. That’s very exciting for us.”
It is reportedly unclear whether Ige will sign the bill or not.
Those who are under the age of 21 that are caught with traditional or electronic cigarettes will be fined $10 for the first offense and subsequent breaches would lead to a $50 fine or community service, according to the U.K. publication The Belfast Telegraph.
Given the data, Hawaii’s decision to attempt to raise the legal smoking age is understandable. 5,600 children in Hawaii reportedly try to smoke each year, while 90 percent of smokers begin smoking regularly before they are 19, according to the state’s department of health.
1,400 people reportedly die from tobacco use or exposure in Hawaii every year, according to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. The negative effects of smoking would reportedly fall an estimated 12 percent if the minimum smoking age was raised to 21, according to a report by the Institute of Medicine.
Debate of raising the smoking age across the U.S. has been pushed forward by the rising popularity of electronic cigarettes, which are reportedly used widely among high school students.
“While the industry is not allowed to directly market to children, it is still developing packaging and advertising products in ways that appeal to children,” stated Democratic state Sen. Rosalyn Baker.
