Are you a Native Hawaiian and/or Pacific Islander and want to share your thoughts around tobacco and vaping?
An individual talk story session will last 60 minutes on Zoom. A makana (gift) will be provided as a mahalo for your participation once all talk story sessions are completed.
The goal of our REACH project is to talk story with Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders to learn more about tobacco use within their communities and culturally appropriate messaging about quitting tobacco use. Those who are eligible to participate must live in one of six geographic locations:
- Hilo, Hawaiʻi
- North Hawaiʻi Island
- Kahului, Maui
- Molokaʻi
- Nānākuli-Waiʻanae, Oʻahu
- Līhuʻe-Waimea, Kauaʻi
Each participant must be 18 years or older, can be a current tobacco smoker, former tobacco smoker, or have never smoked tobacco. Participants who meet the criteria may may be invited to a 1-hour long interview about tobacco use and their culture. As a mahalo, each participant will receive a gift after all interviews are completed.
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander adult tobacco use is disproportionately higher than that of the overall Hawaiʻi population (Native Hawaiian: 14.1%; Pacific Islander 14.1%; Overall: 9%) (HHM, 2023). In recent years, there has been an increase in cigarette and e-cigarette (vape) use among youth, especially among Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander youth. Vape use among Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander youth is significantly higher than the overall Hawaiʻi population (Native Hawaiian: 15.5%; Pacific Islander: 24.9%; Overall: 10.3%) (HHM, 2023).
Big tobacco has always targeted its ads toward Indigenous populations. Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders are no exception. For example, when targeting Native Hawaiians, tobacco companies have featured hula dancers on their ads. One particular ad shows a hula dancer wearing a cigarette lei while dancing hula to “Lovely Hula Hands.” Currently, big tobacco targets our Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander populations by selling tobacco products in flavors that are prevalent in our communities, for example, Hawaiian Sun Juice and Aloha Sun Vapes. A tobacco executive was quoted calling Asian/Pacific Islander populations a “potential gold mine” as our people are “pre-disposed” to using tobacco products and getting addicted to their products (UNDO, 2024).
