PUHI — Tobacco is no longer permitted on University of Hawaii campuses.
The new law, introduced in 2017 by Sen. Kaialii Kahele, higher education chair, was signed by Gov. David Ige last week and includes the removal of designated smoking areas on campuses.
“It’s a step in the right direction as we join the more than 1,400 campuses throughout the country in promoting healthy learning environments in the state’s higher education department,” Kahele said.
Kahele introduced the law after visiting campuses last year during his higher education tour.
“When I sat with staff and students, this is one thing we talked about. It was clear to me this was something that was widely supported throughout the campuses and I wanted to get the bill done this year,” he said.
But not all agree. At Kauai Community College, Makani Sabala-Bactad, 19, a psychology major, think the new law is unnecessary.
“Honestly, I feel like it’s a bit much, really. I feel like it’s going to be more of a hindrance,” he said. “For people that do smoke and have e-cigarettes and use them I feel like it’s really going to like separate them from the main student body and they don’t feel like as free, I guess, or able to do that much.”
Since the new law was enacted July10, Sabala-Bactad said he’s already seen some students who smoke not coming to campus as much because of it.
“They have like a struggle to try and quit smoking, but just outright banning it has made them feel not as welcomed on campus as they used to be,” he said.
The smoking zones on campus were already effective so an outright ban is unnecessary, he said.
“I feel that just like there’s better ways of handling the situation instead of outright banning it, like maybe having more programs on campus would have been more beneficial for students than just banning everything. I feel that it would have been more effective,” he said.
University President David Lassner said studies have shown that a tobacco-free campus is effective in reducing smoking and tobacco use among college students.
“Prohibitions have been effective in reducing both smoking prevalence and exposure to second-hand smoke, thereby increasing smoke-free social norms,” he wrote in an email to staff.
Dan Meisenzahl, UH spokesman, said the bill wasn’t introduced by the university, but now that it’s a law, it’s up to the university to enforce it.
“We certainly did support the effort and are happy to move forward with the new law,” he said, adding it is more about education and changing societal norms than enforcement.
“There’s no punitive measures; we’re not going to not allow students to register or fire anyone. It’s not about that at all,” he said.
The tobacco ban includes electronic cigarettes, vapes, cigarettes, cigars, pipes and all forms of smoking and chewing tobacco.
Brad Zamora, 20, who is working on his general education requirements at KCC, supports the new law.
“I think it’s good because I know a lot of students who weren’t abiding by the smoking area, they would just smoke wherever on campus, so I think to have that extra measure in place is good, because students don’t follow the rules sometimes,” he said.
Sharmaine Alibin, 24, who is working toward a bachelor’s degree in administration and accounting, also supports the law, because secondary smoke can be harmful.
“I think it’s for the benefit of all the students. It’s a good idea that they banned smoking,” she said.
As a nursing student, Jolynn Cobile, 28, supports the law, because smoking delays healing and is not good for your health.
“I think it’s a good thing that they passed that law, personally,” she said.
Even secondhand smoking is bad for your health, she pointed out.
“We encourage smoking cessation,” she said.
Another nursing student Chelsea Ferrer, 20, also supports the law.
“I think it’s just nice because when you can just keep the air clean and everyone doesn’t have to worry about secondhand smoke and that sort of stuff,” she said.
Willy Cannady, who was visiting campus on Friday, said the law doesn’t affect him because he stopped smoking as a young man, but anything that can help people not smoke is a plus.
“Actually, I stopped smoking a couple of times,” he said. “I started smoking when I was 16 years old and I stopped when I got into the military at 18 and then I picked it up again and then I picked it up again and I eventually stopped at 24. I just said I’d had enough, I stopped cold turkey.”
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Bethany Freudenthal, courts, crime and county reporter, can be reached at 652-7891 or bfreudenthal@thegardenisland.com.
