Hawaii Senate Fails to Pass Generational Tobacco Ban Bill
The Hawaii Senate has failed to advance S.B. 148, a bill that would have implemented a generational tobacco ban in the state. The proposed legislation sought to prohibit anyone born after January 1, 2003, from possessing, purchasing, or using tobacco or vaping products. As a result, the bill will not become law during the current legislative session, which is set to conclude on May 4, 2023.
Under the current law, individuals must be at least 21 years old to purchase tobacco or vaping products in Hawaii. Had S.B. 148 passed, it would have created a new policy whereby anyone born on or after January 1, 2003, would have been permanently banned from accessing these products, while those born before this date could have continued to use and purchase them.
Generational tobacco bans, also known as generational smoking bans, are a relatively new approach to anti-tobacco legislation. New Zealand formally introduced the concept in 2021 and approved its own version of the ban in late 2022.
In 2023, legislators in California, Hawaii, and Nevada introduced similar bills, but all failed to gain significant traction or come close to being enacted. Among the three states, Hawaii’s proposed ban was the most restrictive, as it extended to the possession of tobacco or vaping products, while the other bills focused primarily on sales.
S.B. 148 had six co-sponsors but did not receive a vote in any committee, ultimately leading to its demise in the Hawaii Senate.
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