According to Herbert Mikel, village chief of Enpein Powe, the village-wide ban on tobacco use in public functions came about through a long process.
More importantly, such ban is a part of the villagers’ serious attachment to their environment, something they are known for among other Pohnpeians.
“Because we rely on our environment, we also want to improve our health. For a community to achieve good health kids must be healthy, parents must be healthy physically and mentally. That’s what we try to achieve, healthy community,” Mikel said.
The function was accorded a traditional ceremonial festivity with many local delights, including the “sakau” presentation in the presence of Wasahi Kitti, Gregorio Peter, one of highest traditional chieftainship in all of Kitti. Also in attendance were T.H. John Ehsa, Pohnpei state governor, Vice Speaker of FSM Congress Berney Martin, Chief Magistrate of Kitti Keropin David, Susan White and Marybeth Welton from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office of Smoking and Health, and staff of Tobacco and Cancer Prevention Program of the FSM national government headed by Shra Alik, staff of Pohnpei State Tobacco and Cancer Control Program, and other staff of the Pohnpei state government as well as village leaders from Kitti and nearby sections.
As in the case of most of Micronesia, Enpein Powe has witnessed increasing addiction to tobacco use that can be linked directly to a hoist of severe health complications that seem to have been ushered in with the trends of “modernization” since the 1800s.
The chief justice of the Madolenihm Municipal Court, who is also the chairman of the Tobacco Free Coalition, traced the introduction of tobacco products in Pohnpei back to the late 16th century following “common trade routes” that crisscrossed the Pacific. Tobacco use is widely blamed as a contributing factor to certain cancer diseases as well as other non-communicable illnesses that are the forerunners among the leading causes of death in the FSM.
Welton of CDC congratulated the traditional and village leaders of Enpein Powe for making a bold policy and praised the governor and mayor for supporting the community “smoke free” effort that will have a great impact on the health of the community, “especially the children and their parents.”
In thanking the visitors from CDC, Pohnpei atate health officials and the FSM National Tobacco and Cancer Prevention Program for their presence, Chief Mikel, recently diagnosed with initial stage of asthma, expressed a desire to have a center in the FSM, if not in Pohnpei, solely dedicated to the treatment of respiratory related illnesses as part of combating the deadly grip of tobacco use and addiction.
Alik of the National Tobacco Control Program said the commitment by the leaders and the people of Enpein Powe is important to note as it is a population impact movement that can serve as a model endeavor to other communities in the nation.
