State lawmakers took up two bills to regulate tobacco on Thursday afternoon.
House Bill 2256 proposes to have the attorney general and the state tax department seize untaxed vapes and e-liquids. House Bill 1563, proposed by the Keiki Caucus, would let counties adopt ordinances that are stricter than the state’s laws on smoking.
The American Lung Association issued a tobacco report card recently, grading each state on its tobacco control measures.
Hawaiʻi received a “B” in areas like funding for tobacco prevention and tobacco taxes. But the state was given an “F” because of the availability of flavored tobacco products.
Pedro Haro, the executive director of the American Lung Association in Hawaiʻi, spoke with The Conversation about Hawaiʻi grades and the history of efforts to regulate the addictive product.
HB 2256 and 1563 were scheduled to be heard at 2 p.m.
This story aired on The Conversation on Feb. 12, 2026. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m.
