Bill Text: HI SCR201 | 2024 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Urging The Department Of Education To Disseminate Information To Educate Students And Teachers And To Raise Awareness About The Smoking Epidemic.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-03-14 - Referred to EDU. [SCR201 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2024-SCR201-Introduced.html

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THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	201
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

Urging the Department of Education to disseminate information to educate students and teachers and to raise awareness about the smoking epidemic.

 

 

     WHEREAS, the Keiki Caucus declared addressing electronic smoking devices as one of its biggest priorities for the 2023 and 2024 legislative sessions; and

 

     WHEREAS, section 8-31-1, Hawaii Administrative Rules, states "[t]he public school system strives to provide its students with a safe and secure learning environment, as well as appropriate instruction and school experiences that mutually reinforce good personal health and safety practices"; and

 

     WHEREAS, Chapter 8-31, Hawaii Administrative Rules, is the Board of Education's "Tobacco Free School System" policy; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Board of Education provides for counseling and rehabilitation assistance to employees who wish to stop smoking; and

 

     WHEREAS, section 302A-102, Hawaii Revised Statutes, relating to smoking at public schools, does not prohibit vapes or "tobacco products" at public schools, but only prohibits "tobacco"; and

 

     WHEREAS, vapes are evolved "tobacco products" derived from nicotine, the main psychoactive ingredient in tobacco; and

 

     WHEREAS, vapes, vaporizers, vape pens, hookah pens, electronic cigarettes, e-cigars, and e-pipes are some of the many terms used to describe electronic "tobacco product" nicotine delivery systems; and

 

     WHEREAS, Hawaii Department of Health data shows that forty‑eight percent of high school students and thirty-one percent of middle school students have tried using an e‑cigarette; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Hawaii Department of Health Youth Risk Survey of 2009-2017 shows that since 2015, when tobacco started to evolve into vapes or "tobacco products", there was a significant resurgence in student smokers; and

 

     WHEREAS, Hawaii's public schools consider vapes and "tobacco products" to be contraband, and students may be suspended or expelled for possessing them on campus; and

 

     WHEREAS, since smoking is a toxic and addictive behavior, student smokers should be counseled and not punished; and

 

     WHEREAS, during the process of debating priorities, the Hawaii Children and Youth Summit 2022 students stated that the participants desire is to create middle school and high school programs with peer-to-peer support, therapy, and counseling to emphasize the consequences of smoking while increasing awareness about health education; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2024, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Department of Education is urged to disseminate information to educate students and teachers and to raise awareness about the smoking epidemic; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education is urged to consider that punishment such as suspension and expulsion are not effective or efficient safeguards against smoking; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that disciplinary actions for smoking should include a conference with an administrator and parent or legal guardian and counseling on tobacco prevention and education about the adverse health effects of smoking among youths; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Education and Superintendent of Education.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

DOE; Smoking; Information; E-cigarettes; Vapes