Oahu Chapter helps pass Smoking Ban on South Shore Beaches

As part of its statewide Rise Above Plastics Campaign, the Hawaii Chapters began working with the Dept. of Health's Tobacco Prevention and Education Program a couple of years ago to talk about how to reduce cigarette litter on the state's beaches. In 2012, the Oahu Chapter partnered with Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii and the Coalition For a Tobacco-Free Hawaii to push for a ban on smoking on Oahu's Beaches. Council Member Stanley Chang introduced the bill last year, and other groups like the Sierra Club's Oahu Chapter joined the growing coalition. On March 20th, the Honolulu City Council passed Bill 17 to ban smoking on all beaches and parks from Ala Moana to Sandy Beach (Pres. Obama's favorite bodysurfing spot), including Waikiki and most of the South Shore. If successful, the City Council hopes to expand the ban to all of Oahu. Mayor Kirk Caldwell is a supporter of the smoking ban and is expected to sign the bill into law soon.