TOBACCO AND ALCOHOL EDUCATION Tough choices youths have to make

For majority of Hopwood Junior High School students, resisting the screaming temptation of tobacco and alcohol is one of the toughest tasks they are faced with everyday in an environment where tobacco and alcohol use is the surest way to be part of the “in crowd.”

HJHS Student Council president Melanie Quitugua has come to terms with this fact, a reality that has caused her sleepless nights, worrying about the future of her generation.

“I am worried for my peers’ safety. It just scares me that one day, one of my friends might end up dead right there from smoking, or drinking, or chewing tobacco which causes cancer and deadly diseases,” said the 13-year-old student leader.

STUCO officers Jasmine Santos and Dolores Fleming have expressed similar fears, admitting that tobacco and alcohol use at Saipan’s lone public junior high school has become part of the culture of making friends and “belonging.”

“Majority of the students here smoke just so they can be recognized. . .so they can have more friends,” said Ms. Fleming, STUCO secretary.

“They think it’s fun. Peer pressure here is very strong and they resort to smoking to look good and be recognized around here,” added Ms. Quitugua.

“Almost everybody here has probably at least once has puffed a cigarette, sipped beer, chewed tobacco. Everyone has done it. For others, it’s an addiction,” a student said.

With the open admission, STUCO officials hope the school situation would send a stern warning to other HJHS students as well as youths in the community that nothing can be gained from conceding to the evils of such vices.

The Hopwood administration, Department of Commerce’s Alcohol Beverage and Tobacco Control, and the Community Guidance Center have responded to the youths’ pleas for help by exposing them yesterday to a presentation on the consequences of tobacco and alcohol use, underscoring on health risks associated with its abuse.

Experts lectured students on existing laws that apply to the use of alcohol and tobacco, reminding students that minors under the age of 18 are not allowed to purchase or use tobacco; while minors under 21 are prohibited from buying or consuming alcohol.

Andrew Salas, DOC Alcohol and Beverage Tobacco Control director, has called on students to be sensible and consider all factors and consequences before they use tobacco products.

“We just want to tell you that everything you do in you life is your choice but we also want to warn you that some of these choices are going to be difficult, though this is no reason to lose hope and resort to smoking or drinking,” he told students.

By educating youths on the consequences, Mr. Salas believes they can make more informed and wise choices and think twice about succumbing to temptations.

According to Hopwood Vice Principal for Students Affairs Vince Dela Cruz, a new approach into enticing kids to stay away from smoking and drinking needs to be implemented in order to accurately get the message across.

“It’s not just enough to tell the kids to say no. As Principal David Borja says, aside from saying N-O, they should also be able to K-N-O-W about its disadvantages and its impact on their future,” he said.

All Hopwood 8th grade classes will each take their turns until Friday to listen to a 90-minute presentation on the repercussions of tobacco and alcohol with facilitators from the Community Guidance Center and DOC.