STAND. COM. REP. 49

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: H.B. No. 4

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 4 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE REGULATION OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to protect public health by:

(1) Requiring manufacturers of tobacco products to provide to the Department of Health (DOH) an annual report that lists the identity of any added constituent and the nicotine intake levels for the average consumer in their tobacco product;

(2) Requiring DOH to investigate public health risks associated with exposure to added constituents and nicotine;

(3) Allowing DOH to develop standards to reduce risks associated with exposure to added constituents and nicotine; and

(4) Removing tobacco products as defined consumer commodities.

The American Lung Association of Hawaii and Coalition for a Tobacco Free Hawaii supported this measure. DOH opposed this measure.

Tobacco use remains one of the major causes of preventable death in the United States. Hawaii experiences approximately 1,300 deaths per year from the use of tobacco products. Recent studies have shown that Hawaii's youth continues to use tobacco products, especially teenagers, despite massive advertising campaigns on the ills of using tobacco products.

Currently, DOH has regulatory authority over food, drugs, cosmetics, and medical devices, but no such authority for tobacco and tobacco products. Since overwhelming evidence points to nicotine as being addictive and harmful to a person's health, your Committee finds that DOH should possess some authority over these types of products.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2005; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, conformity, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 4, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 4, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

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

 

____________________________

DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair