Governor Green signs anti-vaping legislation

Governor Josh Green today signed legislation to address youth vaping, which is approaching epidemic proportions worldwide.

Act 62 establishes the offense of unlawful shipment of tobacco products. This includes electronic smoking devices and e-liquids under the definition of “tobacco products” for purposes of the cigarette tax and tobacco tax law.

“This legislation has been years in the making and I applaud the Department of Health and all the advocates, including youth advocates, who have successfully stewarded this to fruition,” said Governor Josh Green.

“The explosion of youth vaping over the last 10 years has caused a health crisis in our schools and communities. Senate Bill 975 takes aim at the youth vaping epidemic by concentrating enforcement on the unregulated local and online vape market,” said Senator Jarrett Keohokalole, (Senate District 24, Kāne‘ohe, Kailua), chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection.

“This is an important bill in our battle against vaping and e-cigarette use and will eventually save us many lives because of the people it will divert from using tobacco,” said bill introducer Senator Karl Rhoads (Senate District 13, Dowsett Highlands, Pu‘unui, Nu‘uanu, Pacific Heights, Pauoa, Punchbowl, Pālama, Liliha, Iwilei, Chinatown, and Downtown), chair of the Senate Committee on Judiciary.

Act 62, Session Laws of Hawaiʻi takes effect on July 1, 2023.