Tobacco.org

BATEMAN: Butt out 

If questionable science attributing all kinds of terrible things to secondhand smoke can be used to force otherwise law-abiding citizens to not light up, then I wonder just what else is on the horizon. Will the crazed nanny government ban mayonnaise? . . .

What about other harmful practices? People die every day from drowning, so should they make laws forbidding you to enter the water? . . .

If you prefer a place that forbids smoking, then by all means go there. If you prefer a place that let's you choose, then give them your business. But do not expect the Legislature to turn those business owners and other customers into slaves to your particular desires.

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Saipan Chamber backs smoking ban bill but. 

The Saipan Chamber of Commerce is backing CNMI House legislation designed to ban smoking in local restaurants, but is urging lawmakers to adopt a host of amendments providing relief for hotels and restaurants attached to bars.

The legislation, H.B. 16-47, introduced by Rep. Justo Quitugua, was the focus of several recent CNMI House Health Education and Welfare Committee hearings on Saipan, Tinian and Rota. House lawmakers will debate the bill in a committee meeting Tuesday.

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• 'Let the market dictate smoking ban policy' 

Gov. Benigno R. Fitial, who had been reluctant to support a smoking ban proposal, yesterday welcomed the recent move by some local restaurants to turn smoke-free.

Shirley's Coffee Shop, Tony Roma's and Capricciosa are some of the private dining establishments that recently banned smoking in their premises.

"I believe in free market forces and I applaud the private sector's voluntarily response to growing market demands for greater standards of public health and safety," said Fitial, a non-smoker.

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• Ahead of the curve in no-smoking trend 

While a bill that seeks to outlaw public smoking in the Northern Marianas awaits legislative approval, a handful of restaurants and bars on Saipan have already implemented either a partial or full ban on smoking inside their establishments.

Aqua Resort Club's Costa Terrace Restaurant has been non-smoking since April 2007-making it a full year that the outlet has been tobacco free, according to the Achugao hotel's food and beverage sales manager Yoshimi Yanagisawa

She said that nonsmokers have liked the change and are quite comfortable with the no-smoking policy at Costa Terrace.

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• Survey: Teen tobacco use decreasing 

THE trend of tobacco use among high school and middle school students in the CNMI went down from 2001 to 2007. This was based on the results of the youth risk behavior survey conducted by the Public School System every other year.

From a 79.4 percent result in the survey for middle school students who have ever tried cigarette smoking even one or two puffs in 2001, the figure dropped to 68.6 percent in 2003, 58.5 in 2005 and finally to 56.6 percent last year.

The statistics for the high school students reported an 87.9 percent in 2003 dropped to 82.7 percent in 2005 and finally to 78.1 percent in 2007.

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HANMI favors non-smoking bill 

The Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands has thrown its weight behind a bill that seeks to outlaw smoking in restaurants, bars, and workplaces in the Northern Marianas.

In an interview Friday following the Saipan Chamber of Commerce monthly meeting, HANMI chair Lynn A. Knight said the organization has voted to endorse House Bill 16-47 sponsored by Rep. Justo S. Quitugua.

"Everybody who responded to the survey said they are supporting the bill; nobody said they are against it. We didn't have a 100-percent response rate, though, but 100 percent of the people that answered supported it. And a number of them said they are already doing it on their own," Knight said in an interview with the Saipan Tribune.

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LETTER: Lost hope for non-smokers 

Governor Fitial’s comments in the Saipan Tribune’s March 10 paper that he will nix the smoking ban plan is a huge blow to all non-smokers and children of the CNMI. Shame on you Governor! It’s okay to be opinionated, but not at the expense of people’s health. It’s also not as forgiving to frequently shoot from the hip. Sometimes you need to keep the target in the scope sights longer before pulling the trigger.

It’s pathetic and an outrage to think that I need to sacrifice my lungs and that of my children and other children and non-smokers in the CNMI so that our prized Asian tourists are not inconvenienced. . . .

Governor Fitial, please reconsider your position and do the right thing by NOT nixing the smoking ban plan. It just might help your re-election bid.

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• Fitial says he will nix smoking ban plan 

Gov. Benigno R. Fitial said he will not support legislation recently introduced at the House of Representatives that seeks to ban smoking in restaurants, bars, and workplaces in the Northern Marianas.

House Bill 16-47, sponsored by Rep. Justo S. Quitugua, proposes to make public places smoke-free. Exemptions include open-air bars, hotel rooms, and outdoor jobsites.

"I'm against that because you know I just came back from Honolulu last year and I noticed that the occupancy at the hotel I usually stay in has gone down dramatically because the Japanese will never stay there anymore; they don't allow people to smoke anymore at that hotel," the CNMI's chief executive said in an interview Friday.

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Ban sought vs smoking in public places in NMI 

Smoking may be banned in restaurants, bars, and workplaces in the Northern Marianas under a bill that has been introduced in the House of Representatives.

House Bill 16-47, sponsored by Rep. Justo S. Quitugua, proposes to make public places smoke-free. Exemptions include open-air bars, hotel rooms, and outdoor jobsites.

In his 14-page bill, Quitugua cites a long list of studies concerning ill health effects of secondhand smoke. He also says analyses have shown a link between a smoking ban and the profitability of restaurants and hotels.

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'Take back funds from tobacco control fund' 

The Commonwealth Diabetes Coalition, together with other coalitions and prevention leaders, is teaming up to find ways to take back the funds from the Tobacco Control Fund as per Public Law 13-38.

"Anytime somebody smokes or drinks, there's a tax. Thirty percent of all those taxes go into the Tobacco Control Fund," said Coalition chair George Cruz. "The last quarter of 2007 and first quarter of 2008 have generated a little bit over $2 million and every quarter it continuously generates."

Public Law 13-38 recognizes that smoking is the single most critical risk associated with the leading chronic diseases in the CNMI. "It is therefore in the best interest of the CNMI to increase taxes on alcohol and tobacco products. This increase in revenue would be reserved for funding tobacco control programs."

According to Cruz, "We have not been given that money to address these issues in the past three years. We don't know why."

"So right now we're putting pressure on everybody, so we can try to have a bigger success in addressing these issues,"

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Eight choose to quit smoking after free SDA presentations 

The Seventh Day Adventist Clinic recently held a series of presentations that promoted a smoke-free environment in the Commonwealth and of those who attended, eight expressed a desire to quit.

SDA Clinic dentist Crystal A. Edmister said the clinic is happy with the turnout of the presentation held last week dubbed "Breathe Free," which was held at the SDA Clinic along Quartermaster Road.

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• Motorist lighting cigarette allegedly causes car mishap 

A motorist has filed a lawsuit in federal court against the driver of a vehicle who was allegedly lighting a cigarette that resulted in a vehicular collision.

Joseph DLR. Gonzales, through counsel David G. Banes, sued Robert Marc Weinberg, for negligence. Weinberg is believed currently residing in Florida.

Gonzales asked the U.S. District Court for the NMI to order the defendant to pay him damages and court costs.

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• AGO sues two tobacco companies 

The Attorney General's Office brought tobacco firms back to court on Monday because of their alleged refusal to release tobacco settlement funds due the Commonwealth.

Assistant attorney general Brian Caldwell, the CNMI's consumer counsel, said that R.J. Reynolds Tobacco and Lorillard Tobacco are illegally withholding some $63,000 owed the CNMI under the tobacco litigation master settlement agreement.

Other tobacco companies, including Philip Morris, have also indicated belief that they are entitled to similar withholdings. If unchallenged, the manufacturers' present refusal to pay the settlement funds could deprive the CNMI of over $525,000 in needed revenue, Caldwell said.

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• China cigarette maker told to pay $.2M 

The Superior Court has found a China cigarette manufacturer liable to pay $265,195.44 to the CNMI government for not complying with the local tobacco law.

In a default judgment, Superior Court Presiding Judge Robert C. Naraja ordered Yuxi Hongta Tobacco (Group) Ltd., Yuxi Cigarette Factory to pay $198,896.58 in civil penalties plus interest at the rate of 9 percent per annum.

Naraja directed the Yunnan, China-based Yuxi Hongta to pay the Attorney General his costs and fees incurred in this case. . . .

The government's lawsuit alleged that in November 1998, the CNMI, along with 46 states and four territories, entered into a settlement agreement with leading tobacco product manufacturers called the "master settlement agreement."

Yuxi Hongta is considered a non-participating manufacturer, Caldwell said.

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• RP cigarette maker settles NMI lawsuit 

A Philippine-based cigarette manufacturer has reached a settlement agreement with the CNMI government to resolve the Commonwealth's lawsuit against the company for allegedly not complying with local tobacco laws.

Antonio B. Yao, vice president for operations of La Suerte Cigar and Cigarette Factory, and acting Attorney General Matthew T. Gregory entered into a consent decree.

Superior Court Presiding Judge Robert C. Naraja approved the consent decree yesterday.

Under the consent decree and final judgment, La Suerte acknowledges that it violated Public Law 13-15 or the Commonwealth Tobacco Escrow Statute, but denied that it did so knowingly. . . .

The statute, P.L. 13-15, prescribes that a tobacco manufacturer who is not a participant in the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement shall place $.016 per cigarette sold, plus 13.362 percent for inflation, into a qualified escrow account. . . .

The government also filed the same lawsuit against Philippine-based Fortune Tobacco Corp. owned by beer and tobacco magnate Lucio Tan.

In December 2005, Naraja issued a default judgment that found the company liable to pay $1.9 million plus costs and fees to the government for not complying with local tobacco laws.

Fortune Tobacco manufactures, among other cigarette brands, "Hope Luxury" and "Champion," which, according to AGO, were or are sold in the CNMI.

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