On Friday, Hawaii will become the first state to raise the smoking age to 21. After the bill takes effect, there will be a $10 fine the first time anyone under 21 is caught smoking and a $50 fine for every offense after that. Store owners will face a $500 penalty if caught selling to a person under the age limit.
The rising popularity of electronic cigarettes drove lawmakers to pass the new legislation. Officials cited a University of Hawaii study that found e-cigarette usage among Hawaiian teens is triple the national average.
