REACH: Everyone is entitled to clean air

The CNMI Division of Public Health’s Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health is reaching out to bars, hotels, and poker room—either owners or managers—to follow Public Law 16-46 or the Smoke-Free Air Act of 2008. The law does not ban smoking and only prohibits it in certain places.

REACH local project assistant Jessica Lorfing said that everyone has the right to breathe clean air. “That’s why we’re trying to educate the community and the responsibilities of the business sector in following the law.”

Lorfing held an educational training to further discuss PL 16-46 and PL 19-32, which prohibits the use of electronic cigarettes in areas where smoking is not allowed and at the same time to regulate its use, last Friday at the Latter Stone Room of the Kanoa Resort.

The Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. and DPH is in charge of the information dissemination campaign and enforcement of the Smoke-Free Air Act—which prohibits smoking, including e-cigarettes, in government buildings and other public places—restaurants, office buildings, and schools.

“People tend to smoke in places that’s why DPH provides resources to inform the public of areas where they can smoke and where they could not smoke,” Lorfing told Saipan Tribune after the three-hour seminar.

“Second hand smoke is bad and people have the right for clean air. We must be aware of how important it is to breathe clean air.”

She added smoking in bars, whether open air or closed, can only be allowed after 10pm. “Bar owners must make sure second-hand smoke should not spread in non-smoking areas. Smoking is prohibited also in hotel lobbies and there must be an administrative code.

“That’s why they are working harder to educate and inform the community about PL 16-46. We must educate everyone first and after that comes strict enforcement,” said Lorfing.

The law exempts certain establishments like private residences, designated hotel and motel rooms, private residences—except when used as a licensed child, adult, or health care facility—private and semi-private rooms in nursing homes and long-term care facilities with some restrictions, enclosed gaming areas of casino, and fully enclosed and well-ventilated smoking areas at the departure terminal of all Commonwealth airports.

“The Best Sunshine casino is exempted because they have a casino license. But they still need to comply with the law, where they must have an enclosed area for smokers and it must not spread to non-smoking areas,” said Lorfing.

People can report violators or violations by commercial establishments at 323-QUIT (7848) from 7:30am to 4:30pm every Mondays to Fridays or report it online at chcc.gov.mp. All reports will be confidential.