Pacific islands want settlement money set aside to fight smoking

Delegates to the Pacific Island Health Officers Association will adopt a resolution today asking legislators of various island governments to help ensure that the money which they will get from tobacco settlement will be used to fund educational campaigns against tobacco chewing and smoking.

According to Public Health Secretary Joseph Villagomez, health officials in the Pacific share common concern on the rising addiction of young students to cigarette smoking and tobacco chewing.

“We will issue a strong message, let it go to the health program where it was originally intended for,” he said.

Mr. Villagomez, who is currently the president of PIHOA, said the delegates also addressed the rising morbidity rate of passive smokers, those who are exposed to second hand smoke.

The Northern Marianas has already received close to $300,000 from giant tobacco manufacturers, representing its share this year of the payment under the settlement agreement reached by the U.S. government in 1998 with tobacco manufacturers.

In December 1999, the island government was awarded $137,531.25 in attorney’s fees and costs incurred from the litigation in addition to its share. More than $500,000 has already been given to the Commonwealth as part of its $30 million share from the settlement.

The payments were all part of the $206-billion master tobacco settlement agreement with cigarette manufacturers in exchange for the dropping of the lawsuits over health costs on treating sick smokers.

Health officials have expressed concern on the rising number of students who have smoked cigarettes or tried tobacco chewing. According to a survey conducted in 1995-1997, 31 percent of the students have tried smoking before 11 years old age and the number jumped to 285 percent in 1997.

The number of students who have started chewing tobacco or snuff has also become alarming at 31 percent among 6th graders; 38 percent, 7th graders; and 42 percent, 8th graders in 1997.

Students who have been chewing betel nut with tobacco have likewise increased with 29 percent of the 7th graders in 1997 from a 28 percent in 1995. Thirty-six percent of 8th graders have also chewed betel nut with tobacco in 1997, or a slight increase from a 31 percent in 1995. (LFR)