The Mission of CLEAR THE SMOKE...

• Inform Hawaii about the tobacco industry and their manipulative practices.
• Create a community of individuals who believe in the right to breathe clean air.
• Highlight tobacco as a serious public health issue which will ultimately lead to healthier, longer, tobacco-free lives for Hawaii's people.

Why does Hawaii need Tobacco awareness?

• Tobacco causes more disease, premature death and disability
  than any other preventable disease in Hawaii.
• Despite Hawaii having one of the lowest rates of tobacco use in the nation (17.5% of adults in Hawaii smoke), 1,200 people die from tobacco-related diseases every year.
• The economic costs of tobacco use in Hawaii are also high, costing residents a staggering $336 million annually.
• ? Tobacco Industry spends $42.2 million a year marketing their deadly products here in Hawaii.
• Especially troubling is the industry's new push to get
  young people age 18 to 24 to smoke. Smoking rates among this group are up now at 30.3% (2002 BRFSS).

What Can I do?

• Act Locally! Join a tobacco coalition on your island.
• Parents - Help your kids make the right decisions about tobacco.
• Kids - Look and listen for the clues. Don't be fooled, cuz it's really not cool.
• Smokers - It’s never too late to quit...get help now. 
• Non-smokers - If you're tired of secondhand smoke, remember
  you have the right to breathe clean air.
• Share your story with us so others might learn from your experiences.