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Hawaii to ban flavored vaping products

Hawaii to ban flavored vaping products

2022-05-24

On April 14, after more than seven years of trying, the US state of Hawaii is on the verge of banning flavored vaping products.


But vape store operators say the ban will put hundreds of small retailers out of business.


House Bill 1570 would ban the sale of all flavored vaping products and impose fines on those who sell them.


Similar bills have been introduced over the years but have stalled.


Vape shop operators say it's the furthest the proposal has gotten in the legislature.


"We have hundreds of businesses that will be affected by this flavor ban. That's thousands of jobs, millions of dollars in sales tax revenue," said Scott Rasak of Volcano Fine Electronic Cigarettes.


Some consumers say banning flavored vaping products won't make her quit smoking and may force them to go back to smoking.


Waianae's Kuuipo Gilman said: "If we were to get rid of it, I would definitely have another cigarette.


The ban is aimed at addressing underage vaping, which experts say is on the rise in Hawaii.


"In Hawaii, about half of our high school students have tried e-cigarettes. About one-third of our middle school students say they've tried it," said Lola Irvin, administrator of the Division of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion at the state Department of Health.


E-cigarette products can only be sold to adults 21 and older, but health authorities believe that underage children are readily available and flavored products are particularly attractive to young people.


Instead of banning them, the state should better enforce and limit sales to children and teens, retailers say.


But health leaders say that's not enough.


"We hope it's not going to be an issue between income and kids' health. In Hawaii, we're going to take care of our kids' health first and that's our number one priority," Owen said.


The bill will now go to the House-Senate Conference Committee


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