I know too many students who vape. Hawaii’s youth vaping rate is 25.5 percent, which is more than two times the national average. In ninth grade, a student took breaks in P.E. to vape in the bathrooms because she was addicted to nicotine. Vaping took over her to the point where she risked getting caught at school with it.

Most youth who have used tobacco started with a flavored tobacco product. It’s impossible not to see the correlation between flavors and youth tobacco use. If local shops don’t want kids vaping, then why do they carry flavors aimed at youth? I don’t know any adults who vape cotton candy, apple juice or lollipop flavors.

Adults don’t need flavored vape to switch from smoking and decrease nicotine consumption. As a high schooler who sees the effects on youth around me, I ask the Legislature to support a flavored tobacco ban in Hawaii.

Christine Davis

Kihei, Maui

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