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{"id":2458,"date":"2017-05-08T02:49:54","date_gmt":"2017-05-08T02:49:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tritonscall.com\/?p=2458"},"modified":"2017-05-08T03:27:47","modified_gmt":"2017-05-08T03:27:47","slug":"tobacco-21-better-guams-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/tritonscall.com\/tobacco-21-better-guams-future\/","title":{"rendered":"Tobacco 21: Better for Guam\u2019s Future"},"content":{"rendered":"
Bill 9-34<\/b><\/p>\n
The Guam Legislature proposed Bill 9-34 to raise the legal age of tobacco use on Guam to 21 years. \u00a0Known as the Youth Protection Act of 2017, it was later lapsed into law on Mar 23, 2017 by Gov. Eddie B. Calvo. \u00a0As such, the law takes into effect on Jan. 1, 2018.<\/span><\/p>\n
By the numbers, Guam ranks the highest in smoking among young adults. According to Cathy Rivera Castro of the American Cancer Society Guam Chapter, “Guam’s youth smoking rate is 17.6 percent, and the national average is at 10.8 percent. One in three of Guam’s high school students, and one in four middle school students, uses electronic cigarettes.”<\/span><\/p>\n
But what\u2019s so important about raising the legal age of tobacco use to 21 years? What are the benefits? Issues on the passing of Bill 9-34 have generated some ambivalence among some of Guam\u2019s residents. Yet, the lapsing of this law is better because it promotes a healthier lifestyle for Guam\u2019s future.<\/span><\/p>\n
Support<\/b><\/p>\n
Making the legal age of tobacco use to 21 years has raised issues among the citizens of Guam. Individuals such as Speaker BJ Cruz and \u00a0support Bill 9-34 because of the health benefits it promotes.<\/span><\/p>\n
Speaker BJ Cruz, stated that it was a win against Big Tobacco after the bill was lapsed into law. He added that it was not about money but about preventing the future generations from disease and death from tobacco use.<\/span><\/p>\n
In an interview with KUAM, the executive director of the Guam Cancer Care, Terry Cuabo, mentioned that it was the right thing to do. He noted that he understands the opinions of those who opposed the bill. However, he said that the bill was aimed to save lives, which would benefit the community<\/span><\/p>\n
According to the Institute of Medicine (2015) lowering the initiation rate of tobacco use can be correlated with increasing the legal age of tobacco use. Their study shows that youth 15-17 years are the most affected if the legal age is raised.<\/span><\/p>\n