The drug of choice among Big Island schoolchildren could become less flavorful under a proposed new Hawaii County ordinance.
A bill to be discussed at this week’s County Council Policy Committee on Health, Safety and Well-Being would prohibit retailers from selling, marketing or advertising any tobacco or nicotine product that tastes or smells like anything other than tobacco.
The measure, which is modeled after a similar measure passed on Oahu in October, is intended to curb the distribution of flavored vape and e-cigarette products among children, who have taken to the habit in droves thanks to the wide variety of often candy-like flavors available.
Sally Ancheta, former East Hawaii Drug Free Coalition Coordinator, said said roughly 50% of Hawaii high school students have vaped within the last 30 days. One in three high schoolers on the Big Island vape regularly, as do one in five keiki between sixth- and eighth-grade, a higher rate than any other county in the state.
Ancheta said that the diverse, sweet flavors of vape pods — which include things like “blueberry cotton candy” and “cool mint” — are enticing to keiki and lend the products an air of being a relatively harmless indulgence, despite being highly addictive.
“We’re seeing some products that have the nicotine equivalent of smoking 60 cigarettes,” Ancheta said.
Kai Carvalho, chair for the Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawaii Island, added that it’s especially galling that many flavors being sold seem tailored for the Hawaii market — “Molokai bread” or “Hawaiian POG,” for example.
“We already know they’re targeting keiki, but to see flavors like that being sold here, it’s heartbreaking,” Carvalho said.
Carvalho said that eight in 10 high school students who vape tried a flavored product their first time, and nine in 10 who habitually vape regularly use flavored products.
Ancheta said that even though children under 18 can’t legally purchase vapes, they can easily obtain them through online markets or by having older friends or family members buy the products. She said students managing in-school black markets for resold vape products is a common occurrence.
Kealoha Madriaga, West Hawaii tobacco coordinator for the Hawaii Public Health Institute, said the impacts of nicotine addiction are especially pronounced on a developing brain and can prevent it from properly developing.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that nicotine use among adolescents can harm the parts of the brain that regulate attention, impulse control and learning.
“There’s also impacts to the teeth and enamel, and signs of popcorn lung,” Madriaga said, referring to a condition that constricts the lungs’ air passages and takes its name from a flavoring agent that was once used in microwaved popcorn.
Ancheta said that if the only flavor of vape available is menthol, teen users have said they would likely drop the habit.
“So, if you’re a smoker and you’re trying to quit, vapes are still available to you, and you’re used to the flavor of tobacco,” Ancheta said.
Hilo Councilwoman Sue Lee Loy, who introduced the measure, said the bill will not do anything right away if passed.
Currently, Hawaii’s regulations on tobacco products are an umbrella over the entire state. However, she said, once the counties have their own ordinances regarding vaping in place, the state can repeal that umbrella, allowing the county regulations to take effect — in this case, Lee Loy’s bill would take effect 42 days after that repeal.
Lee Loy said she had initially thought the state Legislature might pass such a repeal during the 2024 legislative session, but noted that, following the Lahaina wildfires, the trajectory of next year’s session is unpredictable.
“We’re just trying to look out for our kids,” Lee Loy said.
Bill 102 will be discussed by the County Council committee at 3 p.m. Tuesday.
Email Michael Brestovansky at mbrestovansky@hawaiitribune-herald.com.