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Pacific Islands Report: Anti-smoking bill rejected in American Samoa  

Representative Otomalesau John Ah Sue has vowed to continue his fight to curb smoking at schools, after the territory's Senate this week rejected a House of Representatives bill that would have implemented a ban. Ah Sue, who sponsored the bill in the House, said he will reintroduce the student-initiated proposal, which was rejected by nine votes to seven in the Senate. He said students had approached legislators in a bid to end smoking by both students and teachers, fearing the health effects of direct and passive smoke. This followed reports that both teachers and students have been allowed to smoke in classrooms throughout American Samoa. Otomalesau said the Senate's rejection of the bill is irresponsible, and is a response to an earlier rejection of an unrelated bill in the House of Representatives. [This graph only]

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