U.S.

It Will Be Illegal To Smoke In Hawaii If You're Under 21

Lawmakers say the change is meant to deter teenagers from smoking; some say e-cigarettes have become increasingly popular among teens.

It Will Be Illegal To Smoke In Hawaii If You're Under 21
Getty Images / Pascal Le Segretain
Article by Ben Lawson
SMS
December 29, 2015

On Friday, Hawaii will become the first U.S. state to raise the legal smoking age to 21.

Once the bill takes effect, if someone under 21 in Hawaii is caught using a tobacco product, it's a $10 fine for the first offense, and $50 every time after that. For store owners caught selling to people under 21, it will cost them at least $500.

Alabama, Alaska, New Jersey and Utah all raised the smoking age to 19, but Hawaii is the first to make it 21.

State lawmakers passed the legislation last summer. Many said the decision was motivated by the growing popularity of e-cigarettes among teenagers. E-cigs are also included in this law.

Legislators referenced a University of Hawaii study that found e-cigarette use among Hawaii's teenagers is triple the national average.

The long-term health effects of e-cigs are a bit of a mystery, but some studies say there are some health risks.

This video includes images from Getty Images.