Tobacco.org

• 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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Liars, liars 

Fortune Tobacco, in a default judgment, has been fined more than $1.4 million by the Superior Court of Saipan for allegedly failing to deposit funds into a US government escrow fund. Fortune earlier claimed it had already stopped exporting Hope and Champion cigarets into the US territory--whatever were available there were either leftover stock or brought in by third-party traders--and, hence, there was no more need to comply with the escrow fund requirement.

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CABRERA: Less tobacco, less betel nut chewing, less disease and death 

Look around and you will see many young people, many minors chewing betel nut with tobacco. Have we forgotten that consuming, purchasing, and/or possessing tobacco by a minor is against the law? How is it that a parent can reprimand their child for smoking a cigarette, yet be willing to give their child a cigarette just as long as the child swears he or she will only chew it? This is equivalent to a parent allowing their child to drive a moped drunk but will forbid them from driving a car drunk. In certain situations, chewing tobacco can be worse than smoking.

Betel nut is addictive and so is tobacco. Put the two together and it is like swimming against the current with your feet tied. Many first encounters with betel nut are through an older relative, but usually without tobacco. Most claim to never develop the habit until tobacco is introduced and most of the time it is through peer pressure. How many regular chewers do you know below the age of 40 that chew betel nut without tobacco? Not many I am sure. If we can reduce tobacco use in betel nut, it is likely we will reduce betel nut chewing. We will definitely see many lives saved.

One might feel that betel nut is part of our culture and should not be regulated. Right now regulating betel nut does not have to be the issue. Tobacco use in betel nut has to become more of an issue.

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Increased smuggle try noted on cigarettes 

The increase in taxes on tobacco products has spun off an unexpected by-product: an increase in attempts to smuggle cigarettes into the Commonwealth, according to the Division of Customs.

Customs director Joe Mafnas said that, since Public Law 13-38 went into effect in December 2002, the division has been intercepting an increasing number of individuals and companies trying to bring in cigarettes illegally.

He hastened to add, though, that majority of the cases pertain to individuals-inbound tourists, residents, and nonresident workers-bringing in more than the allowed number of cartons of cigarettes.

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Increased smuggle try noted on cigarettes 

The increase in taxes on tobacco products has spun off an unexpected by-product: an increase in attempts to smuggle cigarettes into the Commonwealth, according to the Division of Customs.

Customs director Joe Mafnas said that, since Public Law 13-38 went into effect in December 2002, the division has been intercepting an increasing number of individuals and companies trying to bring in cigarettes illegally.

He hastened to add, though, that majority of the cases pertain to individuals-inbound tourists, residents, and nonresident workers-bringing in more than the allowed number of cartons of cigarettes.

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