Hawaii may once again be at the nation’s forefront when it comes to setting smoking policy.
The first state to raise the minimum age for purchasing tobacco products to 21 is now considering a measure that would effectively forbid cigarettes in five years.
State Rep. Richard Creagan, a medical doctor, has sponsored legislation that aims to phase in a ban, raising the age requirement to 30 in 2020, 40 in 2021, 50 in 2022 and 100 in 2024. The bill, expected to be debated in committee this week, would exempt electronic cigarettes, cigars and smokeless tobacco.