Gov. Benigno R. Fitial asked department heads and cabinet secretaries to strictly impose the ban at all times during working hours and punish the violators.
“I expect the strictest adherence to this policy at all times, and I urge all management authorities to impose appropriate disciplinary sanctions on employees who violate this policy against betel nut consumption on government property,” the governor said.
Betel nut chewing is a cultural tradition handed down from generation to generation in the Northern Marianas.
The betel nut is usually mixed with pepper leaf, tobacco and lime.
The practice, which is also observed in other island nations in the Pacific, has long been a medical concern in the region.
Doctors said the mixture, which is believed to be addictive, can cause oral cancer.
An undetermined number of indigenous people have developed oral lesions or cancer over time due to betel nut chewing.
