Solomon Star News

Dear Editor - Looking at the statistics of Solomon Islands; young smokers are higher than mature age smokers, which is very bad. There are a few points which I want to put across and I think its important if these could apply to our communities.

Secondly it’s important for retail shops to sell cigarettes only to those who are aged 18 years and above.

Lastly it’s important for parent, communities and the public to work together to stop young smokers or teenage smokers by giving rules and watching them.

From the few points I’ve raised, I think that if we as a whole, do these things together, then it might slow the smoking of young people.

Derrick Tome
Business Studies Student
Tertiary Institute of Malaita (TIM)

Dear Editor - It’s time that young people should stop smoking because nowadays a lot of young people are dying from smoking.

Also smoking is one of the major factors contributing to the epidemic of non-communicable diseases in our country. Solomon Islands youth top the chart as the country with the most young smokers.

The government should ban smoking for all in our country because it will affect our young leaders of the future.

For us to benefit and have a healthy living we youths should stop smoking because it contains nicotine and also causes sickness.

The government should take the responsibility to stop smoking in our country and the people will be healthier.

Also it will help the growth of our economy because the young generation will be the next leaders in our country so the government must do something which will help us in our future.

Jullian Tobata
Business Studies Student
Tertiary Institute of Malaita (TIM)

Dear Editor - I would like to write down some very important points on why young people of this nation are smokers. As I travel everywhere in the Solomon Islands I see very young people or students, smoking.

I heard about the law that the SI government established; that only 18 year olds and above have the right to smoke.

But now I can see people are not following these laws.

I see that even smaller young ones, at the age of 12, are smoking.

The government and the SI Tobacco Company must do something about this matter.

It’s a big issue because smoking results in bad health for the young people and they may lose all their money on buying the cigarettes and have nothing left for necessities.

I think that the tobacco company should reduce the number of packets of cigarettes that they produce everyday.

They should sell less to the shop owners in the country and do more exporting of cigarettes to other countries in the world.

Patrina Guu’iau
Business Studies Student
Tertiary Institute of Malaita (TIM)

Dear Editor - When looking back, some hundred years ago, I believe many Solomon Islanders got into the habit of smoking.

In that case, how do you think the present young people of Solomon Islands will reduce that?

For smoking to be stopped, nowadays and onwards, I believe they cannot give it up, because it’s so influential and a part of the daily living for most young people.

The illnesses that affect smokers also affect non-smokers.

I believe that more Solomon Islanders are non-smokers, but some are passive smokers, because others smoke around them.

In fact it is hard to reduce that without banning smoking for everyone.

Austin Ramo
Business Studies Student
Tertiary Institute of Malaita (TIM)

Dear Editor - In the Solomon Islands today, there are many smokers, especially the youth. This is very dangerous for them and their health, and as a nation we should stop it.

I believe smoking by young people may be reduced by banning the tobacco Industries and the shops from making and selling smokes.

My other suggestion is that awareness talks should be done by the health organisations, in the communities, in order for people to be aware about it and what smoking may cause to people’s lives.

Also the government should create more jobs for unemployed people to keep them busy with their work and then they wouldn’t think about smoking.

It is important for us to avoid smoking in order for us to live a better life.

Momie Mado
Business Studies Student
Tertiary Institute of Malaita (TIM)