Hawaii Governor and Attorney General Back Disposable Vape Ban
Governor Josh Green and Attorney General Anne Lopez join student activists in a push to make Hawaii the first U.S. state to outlaw disposable e-cigarettes, citing an epidemic of youth addiction and environmental waste.
Hawaii lawmakers, backed by Governor Josh Green and Attorney General Anne Lopez, are advancing legislation to ban the sale of disposable vapes by 2027. The proposed bills, HB2121 and SB2175, aim to curb youth addiction and reduce plastic waste, while a separate measure, HB1573, would require manufacturers to prove FDA compliance annually or face de-listing and fines.
The Legislative Push: HB2121 and SB2175
At a rally at the State Capitol on Wednesday, scores of students from the Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawai‘i Youth Council joined state leaders to advocate for stricter vaping regulations. The centerpiece of this movement is a pair of functionally identical bills—House Bill 2121 and Senate Bill 2175—which would make the sale of “disposable electronic smoking devices” illegal within the state starting in 2027.
The legislation specifically targets devices that cannot be refilled or have a non-rechargeable battery. Nate Hix, policy director at the Hawai‘i Public Health Institute, noted that if passed, Hawaii would become the first state in the nation to implement such a ban, following the precedent set by countries like the United Kingdom.
Enforcement and FDA Compliance: HB1573
Beyond the outright ban, lawmakers are also pushing House Bill 1573, a regulatory framework designed to ensure product safety and legality. This bill would require vape manufacturers to certify annually that their products have received a “marketing granted order” from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Without this federal approval, marketing the product in Hawaii would be illegal.
Under this system, the Department of the Attorney General would maintain a public list of approved products. Manufacturers would be required to pay $1,000 per product line annually to operate in the state. Attorney General Anne Lopez emphasized that this mechanism empowers the state to remove unlisted products from store shelves immediately. Distributors caught selling unlisted items would face fines between $500 and $2,000 per product, while manufacturers could be fined $10,000 per violation.
The Youth Epidemic: “A Brain Vacuum”
The rally highlighted the severe impact of vaping on Hawaii’s youth. Senator Tim Richards, co-introducer of SB2175, cited data showing that more than one-third of Hawaii high schoolers have tried vaping, with users being four times more likely to transition to combustible smoking.
Jeremiah Jacinto, a senior at H.P. Baldwin High School, described the situation as “out of control,” noting that school restrooms are constantly crowded with illicit vapers. “It’s like a brain vacuum,” Jacinto said. “It’s like a phone, they can’t leave the house without one in their pocket. They’re always trying to sneak a hit in.”
Representative Jeanne Kapela, co-introducer of HB2121, condemned manufacturers for “selling addiction disguised as candy” and pointed to the environmental toll of disposable plastic waste littering Hawaii’s beaches.
Opposition and Broader Legislative Context
While the bills have strong political momentum, they face opposition from groups like the Hawai‘i Smokers Alliance. Co-chair Michael Zehner criticized HB2121 as a “mean-spirited, anti-business mess” that threatens local retailers. Despite this, other related measures remain active in the Legislature, including HB1563, which would grant counties the authority to regulate flavored vape juice, and SB3076, which would allow the seizure of untaxed vapes as contraband.
- Read more: Vaping Laws in Hawaii 2025 – What Vapers Need to Know
- News reference: Governor and attorney general endorse disposable vape ban
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