Drive on to ban tobacco use with betel nut quid

The CNMI Food and Nutrition Council yesterday renewed calls to ban the use of any tobacco product with betel nut quid as cases of oral cancer continue to pester the Northern Marianas.

CNMI-FNC officer Pamela Mathis disclosed the use of betel nut quid with tobacco aggravated by inappropriate dental hygiene remains a major concern in the Commonwealth.

CNMI dental experts said gum diseases and other problems are caused by a combination of betel nut quit usage patterns and associated with oral leukoplakia.

Ms. Mathis said oral submucous fibrosis and oral squamous cell carcinoma are results of smokeless tobacco which was classified as Group 1 by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

Because of the increasing oral cancer cases in the CNMI, the Council stressed the need to implement massive preventive education program with regards to the use of betel nut.

The Council vows to launch a massive education campaign against sale of tobacco and betel nuts to minors regardless of parental guidance, tradition, legacy, or historic uses.

She added that FNC will implement a rigorous education program to encourage proper dental hygiene to prevent the increasing number of oral cancer patients.

“While the Council acknowledged the historical and heritage aspects of betel nut quid usage in the Pacific, using it has been shown to cause other dental health problems with or without tobacco additives,” Ms. Mathis said.

The use of betel nut quid is considered illegal for personal use in other US political family such as Hawaii and the mainland US.

The Council earlier urged the Legislature to release funding for FNC to finance preventive education program on uncontrolled weight and diabetes.

Based on reports, Commonwealth residents have problems on uncontrollable weight gain which increased mortality rate and off-island medical treatments.

The disclosure was made following pending approval of allocations from the Legislature to enforce massive preventive education program.

Ms. Mathis said one in three CNMI children are overweight and use of betel nut quid mixed with tobacco is causing illness not only among youth but adults as well.

“We are increasingly seeing problems among new CNMI residents. All ethnic groups are gaining weight and it is leading to severe and expensive medical problems, with cancer the leading cause among indigenous deaths and diabetes being a critical problem for all,” the council secretary said.

In addition, Ms. Mathis explained that the rate of diabetes is rising among ethnic groups that traditionally held low rates of medical problems. (EGA)