I own a small business in the working-class neighborhood of Liliha: Marukin Market. We’re a modest general market that has been around for almost 20 years selling snacks and sundries. There was a time when mom-and-pop stores like mine were commonplace throughout the islands. We were once a vibrant part of the fabric of Hawaii’s communities but are now a dying breed.

Our business survives off slim margins on a wide array of products from musubi to cigarettes. We pride ourselves on offering low-cost items that our customers can easily grab on the go to meet their daily needs.

Recently, state lawmakers have proposed a ban on flavored tobacco and vape products, presumably to stop youth smoking. While that might seem like a good idea, the sad reality is that this ban is unlikely to achieve the intended result and will only harm small businesses in Hawaii struggling to make ends meet. Marukin Market does not sell vaping products, but we do sell menthol cigarettes, which also would be banned under legislation being considered.

When local businesses can’t supply a product because of government ban, customers will simply go elsewhere. In this case, folks almost certainly will go online or to the illicit market to get flavored cigarettes or vaping products.

How do I know? That’s exactly what led to the demise of so many of the small mom-and-pop establishments throughout the state. Customers shifted to shopping at big-box stores or online to purchase things that were cheaper or unavailable locally. I fear this proposed ban will exacerbate this problem. Customers who buy tobacco products often also purchase a slew of other items while at our market. If they can’t get what they want, I’m afraid they will simply stop coming.

Let’s be clear, it’s already illegal for local stores to sell vape or tobacco products to anyone under the age of 21. So, if we’re trying to safeguard children, the problem isn’t with public policy.

The problem is with enforcement and education. Retailers like me are required by law to check IDs. If we don’t, we face stiff fines or may even lose our business license. But we don’t card because of fear of penalties; we card because it’s the right and responsible thing to do. There are no such gatekeepers in the virtual world, where kids can simply go on social media and order online from unscrupulous people willing to ship the products directly to their doorsteps. Or they can get these products from shady characters on the street who import them illegally. You can bet they’re not checking IDs like we do at Marukin Market. Either way, it boils down to the same problem. We need enforcement to address the problem, not new laws.

Times are already tough for businesses, especially local mom-and-pops. We’ve barely been able to make it through the economic downturn and increased costs of coping with COVID-19. Now we’re facing inflation spikes that haven’t been seen since the 1980s. Small businesses like mine that are barely hanging on can ill afford even the slightest decrease in revenue that might occur if this ban is adopted. This ban would negatively impact my family’s business and many independent small-business owners in the state, resulting in loss of jobs and more shuttered businesses.

I hope that our elected leaders will seek to find real solutions rather than debating well-intentioned yet misguided policies that don’t address the problem and only add to the burdens of local businesses and the communities they serve.

Travis Yoshinaga is owner/proprietor of Marukin Market in Liliha.