21-to-smoke bill protects vulnerable youth

Hardly anybody starts smoking in adulthood. It’s a deadly, expensive habit picked up in youth, by adolescents and teenagers susceptible to insidious marketing less likely to sway consumers who are a bit older and wiser. That’s why it is so important to craft public health policies that discourage young people from smoking in the first place.

The Hawaii Legislature is on the right track with a bill to ban all sales of cigarettes, tobacco and electronic smoking devices to anyone under 21. The House approved the measure last week, sending it to the Senate.

UH athletes show their true mettle

Give it up for the student-athletes of the University of Hawaii, and their coaches. Among the weekend’s excitement: The UH Wahine basketball team clinched the Big West title, their first outright conference title in 17 years. They head into post-season tournament play Friday, under Big West Coach of the Year Laura Beeman, a well-deserved accolade. Then there’s the UH men hoopsters, who hit the rare 20-win season benchmark under interim head coach, Benjy Taylor — despite the firing of the previous coach and an NCAA violations cloud. And, the UH men’s volleyball team thrilled their fans with a sweep of long-time rival, Pepperdine.