Starting today, you must be at least 21-years-old to purchase tobacco products in Hawai’i County, unless you happen to be at least 18 years old today.

Last November, the Hawai’i County Council voted 9-0 to raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco from 18 to 21, though Bill 135 includes a grandfather period for those older than 18 when the bill takes effect.

Much like the legislation passed in New York City, the bill targets retailers who sell tobacco products to those under 21, with fines starting at $500 for the first offense and reaching $2,000 for subsequent offenses. The legislation was authored by Councilman Dru Mamo Kanuha.

The bill covers any tobacco product intended for human consumption, including but not limited to cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, chewing tobacco, snuff and electronic smoking devices.

Hawai’i County, which encompasses the entire island known as “The Big Island,” is home to just under 190,000 residents.

Avatar photo

Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.