I recalled that the Bureau of Health Services conducted a survey about four years ago to find out how wide-spread this problem was in the country. The survey indicated that a very large number of people, some very young, are habitual “chewers” of betel nuts and tobacco. The survey also revealed that a big percentage of these “chewers” began chewing betel nuts when they were quite young.
After that survey we wrote a column on the subject. Some observations we made in the earlier column are still relevant today, and we would like to bring them again to the attention of our readers to illustrate the problems this nasty habit is causing in our communities.“Ngiratkel Etpison banned the chewing of betel nut, with or without tobacco, in his office when he was President. He wanted to extend the ban to all national offices, but many employees objected to the idea. They claimed that Etpison, a member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, was trying to impose his religious beliefs on Government employees. Etpison replied that his objection to the chewing of betel nuts in government offices had nothing to do with his religious beliefs, but had a lot to do with the cleanliness of public offices and the health and appearance of young Palauans”.“Why is it that a young Palauan woman is willing to spoil her appearance by putting something in her mouth that would stain her teeth and would make her look like Dirrachemertall”, President Etpison used to complain. Our health workers also spoke strongly against chewing of betel-nuts with or without tobacco.”This time thirty-eight years ago, in 1970, a young Dr. Ulai Otobed told a Trust Territory Micronesian News Service reporter (yours truly) in an interview that was heard on the radios and read in newspapers all over Micronesia that chewing betel nut was definitely bad for people’s health. “Chewing betel nut is not good for your health. Too much lime and betel nut could cause several health problems, including an adverse effect on the stomach”, Dr. Otobed said then. Four years ago, Dr. Stevenson Kuartei also warned that “Chewing betel nut could lead to asthma and when tobacco is added, it could cause cancer, stomach problems, and high blood pressure”.“Chewing betel nut is not only bad for people’s health; it is also bad for our environment. Betel nut chewers leave behind them unsightly betel nut stains on sidewalks, parking lots, and at entrances to stores and office complexes. The officials at the Palau Visitors Authority have become so concerned with the negative image that the large number of betel nut chewers are doing to Palau that they are appealing to them not to spoil our country’s pristine environment with their betel nut discharges. Their signs Lak Molub, Adang can be seen in many places around town”.“You, Betel nut chewers, may be it is time you switch your chewing budget to something more worthwhile and healthful, such as paying your TV or telephone bills with the money you would otherwise spend buying betel nuts and tobacco.”
