STAND. COM. REP. NO.1018-02

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2002

RE: H.C.R. No. 67

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 67 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING ALL MANUFACTURERS OF CIGARETTES AND TOBACCO PRODUCTS TO PROVIDE ANNUAL REPORTS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ON THE CONSTITUENCY AND NICOTINE RATINGS OF THE PRODUCTS AND REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO INVESTIGATE PUBLIC HEALTH RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH EXPOSURE TO THE ADDED CONSTITUENTS AND NICOTINE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to:

(1) Request all manufacturers of cigarettes, cigars, snuff, pipe tobacco, or chewing tobacco sold in Hawaii to provide annual reports to the Department of Health (DOH);

(2) Include the identity of added constituents, nicotine yield ratings and components, and identity and quantity of toxic constituents; and

(3) Request DOH to investigate public health risks and develop methods and criteria for manufacturers to reduce the risks associated with exposure to harmful constituents, ingredients, and nicotine.

The Coalition for a Tobacco Free Hawaii testified in support of this measure. Hawaii Nurses Association and a concerned citizen supported the intent of this measure.

Your Committee finds that tobacco use remains a leading preventable cause of death in Hawaii. Hawaii's youth continue to start smoking, with approximately 24.5 percent of public high school and 23.9 percent of public middle school students reporting being current smokers.

Your Committee is supportive of reducing smoking and its harmful effects to smokers and individuals who inhale secondhand smoke. However, your Committee recommends a cautious approach with this measure, as testifiers stated that there is currently a related lawsuit, and there may be some legal and constitutional issues regarding disclosure of the requested information.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 67 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

 

____________________________

DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair