Hawaii state legislator views on e-cigarettes and likelihood of legislative action

To examine perspectives on e-cigarette use and regulations in Hawaii through key informant interviews with state legislators.

E-cigarette use is rapidly increasing, with sales in 2013 topping $1 billion in the United States, but e-cigarettes are still a largely unregulated industry. Although e-cigarettes are thought by most to be a healthier alternative to traditional cigarettes, long-term health effects are not yet known.

Semistructured key informant interviews were conducted with Hawaii state legislators (n = 15).

We found a lack of consensus among legislators, which suggests that substantial legislative action is unlikely in the upcoming session. However, most legislators believe that some type of incremental legislation will pass, such as enactment of a small tax, limitations on advertising to protect adolescents, or regulations concerning where people can use e-cigarettes.

Legislators eagerly await further research to clarify the overall benefits and harms of e-cigarettes at both the individual and population levels.