Charting the Way Forward: 2026 Priorities for the Tobacco-Free Hawai‘i Island Coalition

The  Tobacco-Free Hawai‘i Island (TFHI) coalition met on September 26, 2025, to determine its priorities for the year ahead. The meeting was facilitated by Dave Nakashima, and informed by insights from Kevin Ramirez, Program Manager for the Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawai‘i, and Nate Hix, Director of Policy and Advocacy at the Hawai‘i Public Health Institute. Coalition members also exchanged key observations from their work in the community.

The Rise Of Nicotine Pouches

Two tobacco treatment specialists shared concerns about the rising popularity of nicotine pouches. They reported that some patients have turned to nicotine pouches in hopes of quitting smoking or vaping without FDA-approved nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs). Instead, the higher nicotine levels in commercial pouches often increased dependence. Many users believed the pouches were safer, but these products can pose significant risks, including rapid escalation of use to a full container per day. The specialists successfully helped patients discontinue pouch use and transition to NRTs.

The treatment specialists also alerted the coalition to an increase in pouch usage among elementary and middle school students, including instances of youth using multiple pouches simultaneously. This troubling trend underscores the need for targeted strategies to address use among both adults and youth.

Policy Priorities for 2026

Tobacco Free Hawai‘i Island will support the statewide priorities of the Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawai’i, including:

• Advocating for the repeal of preemption to restore local control and allow counties to regulate the sale of tobacco products. The City and County of Honolulu, Hawai‘i County, and Maui County have all passed legislation to end the sale of flavored tobacco products, but in order for these laws to take effect,  state legislation is needed to restore their authority.
• Ending the sale of disposable e-cigarettes. These devices create substantial e-waste due to plastics and hazardous lithium-ion batteries. Improper disposal can lead to fire hazards, prevent recovery of valuable metals, harm wildlife, and contaminate soil and waterways with toxic chemicals and heavy metals. 

To advance these priorities, TFHI will establish workgroups with clearly defined roles to coordinate efforts and drive progress in the year ahead.