http://www.tobacco.org/newsfeed/state/HI.rss Latest top tobacco news headlines en-us http://www.bymnews.com/news/newsDetails.php?id=27659 http://tobacco.org/news/266737.html Maui, rated as "Best Island in the World" by the readers of Conde Nast Traveler for 13 years, is working to keep its beaches beautiful, through a "Butts off the Beach" awareness campaign to prevent cigarette butt litter. The campaign includes ads and public service announcements in local media. Maui retailers are hosting countertop displays that dispense free pocket ashtrays that can store extinguished cigarette butts until they can be disposed of properly. "Butts off the Beach" was launched in 2001 by Pacific Whale Foundation, . . . "Our campaign teaches smokers that cigarette butts are made of long-lasting materials including cellulose acetate, a form of plastic -- which can take up to 25 years to decompose," Porter notes. Cigarette butts can contain over 165 chemicals, such as cadmium, lead and arsenic, which can leach into the marine environment within an hour of contact with water. Butts can poison wildlife, or even children, when accidentally ingested. When wildlife ingests cigarette butts or other forms of plastic, it can block the digestive tract or fill the stomach, resulting in malnutrition or starvation. BYMNews Thu, 05 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.khnl.com/Global/story.asp?S=8381342 http://tobacco.org/news/265943.html Hawaii hotels are hitting smokers hard in their wallets when it comes to lighting up where they shouldn't and many couldn't be happier about this tougher stance on smokers. . . . Many major hotels are happy about setting smoke restrictions. "Hawaii is about fragrance and aromas as it is about anything and to have the smoke drift through, that it's never been an attractive addition," said Barry Wallace with Outrigger Hotels. You can still smell smoke in the air in Waikiki, there are about two dozen hotels here that allow some smoking, either in the rooms or on property, and smoking is still allowed at the beach. But a number of hotel chains, like the Outrigger, have gone completely smoke-free for their guests. KHNL-TV Channel 8 pdrewes@khnl.com (Paul Drewes) Tue, 27 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://travel-hawaii.com/smoking.html http://tobacco.org/news/265532.html Hawaii Hotel & Condominium Smoking Policies, from Travel Hawaii In November of 2006, the state of Hawaii instituted a strict new smoking law. As a result, many Hawaii hotels declared all of their guest rooms to be smoke-free. This has been a boon to non-smokers, of course, who no longer have to enter a hotel room with that telltale odor of "smokers past" lingering in the air. However, smokers aren't happy with such policies, as they won't be able to stay at smoke-free hotels unless they stash their habit for the length of their stay, or only smoke "off premises" or in designated areas, which are usually outside any public area in the hotel, e.g. places like parking lots and other outside areas that are at least 20 feet from any doors or windows. Travel-Hawaii.com sales@Travel-Hawaii.com Mon, 19 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080519/BUSINESS02/805190329 http://tobacco.org/news/265531.html Smokers who light up in a non-smoking hotel room in Hawai'i may may find themselves paying several hundred dollars more for the room cleanup. Travel Hawaii, a Hawai'i-based Internet retailer, has set up a database -- www.travel-Hawaii.com/smoking.html -- that details the smoking policies of hotels throughout the state. Travel Hawaii owner John Lindelow said his company updates the information as policies shift. "This is a rapidly changing area of hotel policy, so we make a lot of phone calls to stay on top of what the hotels are doing," he said. So far, the top charge goes to Aqua Palms & Spa in Waikiki, with a $500 fee to clean a smoke-free room there. Honolulu Advertiser rdingeman@honoluluadvertiser.com (Robbie Dingeman Advertiser Staff Writer) Mon, 19 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080511/NEWS01/805110381/1001/LOCALNEWSFRONT http://tobacco.org/news/265283.html The Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawai'i hopes to convince owners of residential rental and condominium buildings to prohibit smoking inside private living areas. The nonprofit group argues second-hand smoke emanating from the privacy of one unit may affect others when people live in close quarters. The state already bans smoking in restaurants, bars and within 20 feet of the entrances or windows of smoke-free buildings. "As laws like this become the norm, I think people are going to start thinking about how, about where we live," said Hye-ryeon Lee, chairwoman of Tobacco-Free Hawai'i and a University of Hawai'i speech professor. Smoke-free advocates say residential smoking bans deliver financial benefits to property owners through lower insurance costs because of reduced fire risk, reduced cleaning expenses and fewer problems between neighbors. But advocates for smokers' rights fume Honolulu Advertiser agomes@honoluluadvertiser.com (Andrew Gomes Advertiser Staff Writer) Sun, 11 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-04/l-wit042408.php http://tobacco.org/news/264253.html Native residents of Hawaii and New Zealand have much higher mortality rates for many cancers than the European peoples who live there. Education on screening programmes, diet, and smoking could help tackle this. The issues are discussed in the first of a series of Reviews on worldwide cancer disparities in the May issue of The Lancet Oncology. . . . In terms of risk factors, Māori people are more than twice as likely to be smokers than European New Zealanders, 50% more likely to be obese, and almost three-times as likely to be obese smokers. Native Hawaiians have only a slightly higher smoking incidence than European Hawaiians, but a significantly higher risk of cancer for the same smoking history, suggesting they are more susceptible to the carcinogenic properties of cigarette smoke. Limited tobacco legislation in developing countries means that many Pacific islands are among tobacco companies’ new targets . . . The authors conclude: "The extent of the differences in outcome due to different extrinsic risk factors, biological factors, or health behaviours is unclear….Advances such as adjuvant chemotherapy for breast, bowel, and lung cancer have improved survival, but data on treatment by ethnicity are lacking, and such treatment might be unequally applied between ethnicities. Evidence exists for a benefit of culturally appropriate education on screening programmes, diet, and smoking, all of which could lower the cancer burden in Polynesian communities." EurekAlert gabi.dachs@otago.ac.nz New Zealand Asia-pacific Sun, 27 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/articles/2008/04/27/local_news/local01.txt http://tobacco.org/news/264202.html Smokers continued puffing away at select Hilo parks Saturday afternoon, the first weekend since tobacco use was outlawed at all Hawaii County-owned recreational facilities. Smoking, along with alcohol and occasional drug use, was obvious during brief stops at Lincoln Park, Reed's Bay Beach Park and Leleiwi Beach Park. "No make sense," Hilo's Gabe Lei, a cigarette in one hand and a beer in the other, said as he and a group of friends, including children, watched the waves at Leleiwi Beach Park. "They have a no-drinking law (yet) people still drink, people still smoke. Not going to stop nothing." . . . "Everybody still going to smoke on the beach," added another park user. Doing that at a county park, gymnasium, golf course or other recreational facility could land offenders a $100 fine under a new law that took effect Tuesday night when the County Council overrode Mayor Harry Kim's veto of the legislation. "That's my understanding," said Hilo Councilman J Yoshimoto, the bill's author, "that it's already in effect." County Clerk Casey Jarman later confirmed the bill is now law. Hawaii Tribune-Herald Sun, 27 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.khnl.com/Global/story.asp?S=8235469 http://tobacco.org/news/264193.html Big Island smokers are continuing to light up at beaches and public parks despite a new law that bans smoking at all county-owned recreational facilities. Several people were seen smoking during recent visits to Lincoln Park, Reed's Bay Beach Park and Leleiwi Beach Park. People were also smoking openly at the Lehua Jaycees Springfest Carnival held at the county's Hilo Civic Fairgrounds. AP Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.khon2.com/news/local/18166374.html http://tobacco.org/news/264187.html The Big Island has become the first county in the state to ban smoking at county parks and beaches. Councilmembers approved a bill last month making beaches and parks smoke free. KHON2 News Thu, 24 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.khnl.com/Global/story.asp?S=8218246 http://tobacco.org/news/264010.html It's now against the law to smoke in all county parks and beaches on the Big Island. The smoking ban is also in effect at other outdoor recreation areas, such as the municipal golf course, rodeo arenas and Hilo Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium. A measure banning smoking was vetoed by Mayor Harry Kim earlier this month. But the Hawaii County Council voted 7-2 last night to override the veto. AP Wed, 23 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.nbc4i.com/midwest/cmh/news.apx.-content-articles-CMH-2008-04-10-0017.html http://tobacco.org/news/263134.html NBC 4's Tom Brockman reported the latest from the Franklin County Courthouse at noon. Attorneys representing the foundation filed a complaint in Franklin County Common Pleas Court Wednesday against Cordray to essentially try to stop the treasurer from taking the organization's monies for the state, Brockman reported. All sides met Thursday morning in front of Judge David Fais. Brockman said attorneys made a multi-faceted argument on why the legislation signed into law on Tuesday isn't legitimate. nbc4i dwillis@wcmh.com (Donna Willis) Thu, 10 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.westhawaiitoday.com/articles/2008/04/05/local/local02.txt http://tobacco.org/news/262707.html Mayor Harry Kim has no intention of signing off on a bill approved by the Hawaii County Council recently that bans smoking at all county parks and recreation facilities. The only question remaining is whether Kim will veto the bill or simply not sign off on it. Kim said he has until Monday to make a decision on the bill and that he will not give it his stamp of approval via a signature. With that in mind, the other two options for him include vetoing the bill or doing nothing. By doing nothing, which not signing means the bill, the ban will go into effect, only without Kim's blessing. West Hawaii Today Sat, 05 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080405/BREAKING01/80405053/-1/LOCALNEWSFRONT http://tobacco.org/news/262706.html Mayor Harry Kim says he will not sign off on a proposal to ban smoking at Big Island beach parks and recreation facilities. Kim has until Monday to either veto the bill, which was approved by the Hawai'i County Council, or allow it to become law without his signature. O'ahu's Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve and the Big Island's Kahalu'u Beach Park are already smoke-free, but the bill would be the first islandwide park smoking ban in the state. AP Sat, 05 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://starbulletin.com/2008/03/17/editorial/editorial02.html http://tobacco.org/news/261390.html A report by the state Department of Health maintains that it has not hurt Hawaii's visitor industry but has failed to address the bar owners' concerns. A more precise study is needed. . . . A report prepared for the department by the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, N.Y., found that the food and beverage sector of Hawaii's tourism industry gained 212 more employees and 1,541 jobs since the law went into effect. It also said the state's overall visitor spending, including that by visitors from Japan, was comparable last year to the previous year, although declining slightly. Unfortunately, the report does not include data from the Honolulu Liquor Commission because it did not fall within the time period needed to evaluate the law's effect. The Health Department should examine Liquor Commission data at the earliest opportunity to determine the ban's effect. Honolulu Star-Bulletin lyoungoda@starbulletin.com Mon, 17 Mar 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://starbulletin.com/2008/03/13/business/story01.html http://tobacco.org/news/261231.html A controversial law that placed restrictions on smoking did not hurt Hawaii's economy in the first year, according to a report commissioned by the state Department of Health. Critics of the law were not convinced. The report, released yesterday, was prepared by Andrew Hyland and Cheryl Higbee of the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, N.Y. "We anticipated that, like other states where similar laws have been enacted, there would be no negative economic impact," said Hawaii Health Director Chiyome L. Fukino. "These findings have helped to confirm our original assumptions. Moving forward, the Department of Health will continue to assess visitor industry data to track changes." Hawaii's visitor industry gained 212 more employees and 1,591 more jobs in the food and beverage sector since the law went into effect, the report said. Also, overall monthly visitor spending in Hawaii and monthly visitor spending by visitors from Japan has been comparable, the report said. The Hawaii Smokers Alliance and other similar interest groups criticized the findings Honolulu Star-Bulletin aschaefers@starbulletin.com (Allison Schaefers) Thu, 13 Mar 2008 04:00:00 GMT