Sen. Luis Crisostimo, D-Saipan, said the proposal will worsen the economic downturn as tourists prefer to smoke when in bars or clubs.
“Outlawing smoking will hurt the CNMI. I cannot understand why you would go to a club and not be able to smoke,” he said and added that restaurants and bars should just have a ventilated place for smokers.
“Banning this will not just hurt the CNMI in the long run. We really cannot afford this. I am not a smoker but I don’t mind having a smoking area,” he added.
The senators decided to refer to committee House Bill 16-47 or the Smoke Free Air Act of 2008 sponsored by Rep. Justo S. Quitugua, D-Saipan.
The bill aims to prohibit smoking even in restaurants and attached bars or the bar area in a restaurant.
Sen. Joseph Mendiola, Covenant-Tinian, offered a written amendment to the bill to exclude the Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino from the smoking ban and future similar establishments that will be built on their island.
“The intent of this bill is good but the economic impact should be considered. Even the Outrigger Hotel on Guam has facilities where you can smoke,” he said.
Sen. Maria T. Pangelinan, D-Saipan, for her part asked her colleagues to weigh the incentives that will be created by the passage of H.B. 16-47.
Senate President Pete P. Reyes, R-Saipan, said the health dangers associated with smoking are probably far more dangerous than economic concerns.
He said a medical report showed that 440,000 Americans were afflicted with smoke-related illnesses in one year. Thus far, the U.S. government has spent $193 billion in medical expenses associated with smoking.
“I do not use tobacco but I know its dangers to our health. I ask that we place this bill for the next Senate session. Let’s protect our biggest investment and that is our children,” he said.
According to the bill’s findings, more than 3,000 lung cancer deaths and 35,000 coronary heart diseases occur annually in the United States among adult nonsmokers as a result of second-hand smoke exposure.
Up to 300,000 children with similar cigarette exposure develop bronchitis and pneumonia every year based on data from the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
