My battle with nicotine began at age 12 in a home where cigarettes were always within reach. Years of addiction followed, leading to an early-onset COPD diagnosis and the loss of six family members to smoking-related diseases. Quitting was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but with support from a local tobacco treatment specialist, I finally became smoke-free on May 17, 2016. That journey fueled my passion to help others break free from this dangerous and deadly cycle.

Tobacco products are designed to fuel addiction and can cause great harm to our young people’s brains as they are still developing. The tobacco industry is a creative one and those that work in the cessation field like me have watched Big Tobacco evolve, introducing higher nicotine concentrations into their products to fuel addiction. This, coupled with sleek designs, candy-like flavors and aggressive marketing are creating a new generation addicted to nicotine, putting their health and futures at risk.

As we enter the new year, I want to raise awareness of a troubling risk that I see affecting our island residents. Today, ever-evolving products like nicotine salt-based vape devices and pouches make quitting even harder. These products deliver higher nicotine concentrations faster, increasing the potential for addiction within just a few puffs or doses. In Hawaii, nearly 1 in 3 high school students tried vaping in 2023, and over 60% of young adults tried using e-cigarettes in 2022.

This isn’t just a personal health issue — it’s a community-wide crisis that future generations in Hawaii are facing. That’s why the start of 2025 is the perfect time to act.

Tobacco use does not only affect your health, but the beauty of our islands. Cigarette butts and discarded vapes are some of the most found litter in our ocean and are hazardous for our curious keiki and native animals when found on our beaches and in our parks. Whether or not you’re ready to quit, we can all do our part to protect our island home by properly disposing of tobacco waste and picking up litter when we see it.

For those considering making their New Year’s resolution to quit, I first encourage you to be patient with yourself. Quitting isn’t easy, but every attempt gets you closer to freedom from nicotine. The one thing I want people to know who are looking to quit in 2025 is that there is help for their addiction.

I encourage you to reach out and take advantage of resources such as the Hawaii Tobacco Quitline, which provides local support through confidential coaching, custom quit plans, free nicotine patches, gum and lozenges. Visit hawaiiquitline.org or call 1-800-QUIT-NOW. For young people, the Hawaii Tobacco Quitline offers My Life, My Quit Hawaii, a free and confidential program that helps anyone under 18 quit all forms of tobacco, including vapes. Call 1-855-891-9989 to quit or visit mylifemyquit.com for more information.

This year let’s build a healthier future together — for ourselves, our youth and our island home. Wishing you a happy and healthy new year!

Donita Garcia is a certified tobacco treatment specialist at the Hawaii Health and Harm Reduction Center.