STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2509

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1168

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 1168, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TOBACCO PRODUCTS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to prohibit the use of tobacco products by minors and to allow a law enforcement officer to confiscate tobacco used by the minor.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, the Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawaii, and one private individual.  Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by the Police Department of the City and County of Honolulu.

 

     Your Committee finds that smoking and tobacco use are the leading causes of preventable illnesses and deaths in the nation.  This measure prohibits a minor from not only purchasing, but also using tobacco products, and allows law enforcement officer to confiscate the tobacco product used by the minor.  In comparison to creating criminal penalties for the minor, the confiscation of the tobacco product is the preferred means of sending a clear and correct message that persons under the age of eighteen should not use tobacco products.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1168, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary and Labor,

 

 

 

____________________________

CLAYTON HEE, Chair