A draft proposal by Taipei's health bureau to ban chewing betel nut in public has ignited a fierce debate over whether such an initiative is justifiable from both a legal and public health points of view.
According to a bylaw drafted by the city's health bureau -- the first of this kind in Taiwan -- violators could face fines of up to NT$3,000, and vendors found selling the mild narcotic nuts to teenagers could be fined up to NT$15,000.
Yeh Chin-chuan (
"In the West, you say tobacco is a `killer.' One could also say that of chewing betel nut. This habit definitely causes certain types of cancer -- it's a fact one cannot deny," Yeh said.
Citing statistics, Yeh said betel nut was responsible for "over 80 percent of the incidence of mouth and throat cancer in Taiwan."
Still, the initiative has come under fire from lawyers and city councilors.
Attorney Liu Shiu-luen (
While its opening article states the law intends to discourage people from chewing betel nut, many other items are unrelated to such a goal, Liu said.
"The rules forbid people from chewing betel nut in certain public areas, but if people still chew them privately, then their health would still be affected," Liu said.
Liu also pointed to the proposed fines as another legal pitfall that could spark conflicts between the central and local governments.
While the Local Autonomy Law (
"And chewing betel nut is not a violation of administrative obligations, so the fine (stated in the draft) is questionable," he said.
Several city councilors also questioned the feasibility of the draft.
City Councilor Jeffrey Y.K. Hsu (
"The draft states that health inspectors will be authorized to investigate violations, but these people lack the necessary force, such as police have, to enforce them," Hsu said.
Although a supporter of the initiative, Hsu said heated debate is be expected once the proposal is submitted to the city council.
Meanwhile, doctors said they supported the initiative.
Han Liang-chun (韓良俊), a professor of dentistry at National Taiwan University, said although everyone is free to choose whether or not they chew betel nut, related clinical studies have urged him to warn the public to avoid using betel nuts as far as possible.
betel nut, the second largest cash crop in Taiwan, is a popular stimulant that is usually taken with a mix of lime, herbs and sorghum liquor. A report of the cabinet-level Department of Health shows 2.4 million people in Taiwan -- about 10.9 percent of the island's population -- regularly chew this mild narcotic.
Over the years, doctors and scholars have urged the government to ban betel palm plantations for the sake of public health and environmental concerns. But so far, no laws have been drafted banning its use.
City officials, meanwhile, said the bylaw is due to take effect next January, pending endorsement by the municipal government, city council approval and ratification by the central government.
Japan has deployed long-range missiles in a southwestern region near China, the Japanese defense minister said yesterday, at a time when ties with Beijing are at their lowest in recent years. The missiles were installed in Kumamoto in the southern region of Kyushu, as Japan is attempting to shore up its military capacity as China steps up naval activity in the East China Sea. “Standoff defense capabilities enable us to counter the threat of enemy forces attempting to invade our country ... while ensuring the safety of our personnel,” Japanese Minister of Defense Shinjiro Koizumi said. “This is an extremely important initiative for
MORE POPULAR: Taiwan Pass sales increased by 59 percent during the first quarter compared with the same period last year, the Tourism Administration said The Tourism Administration yesterday said that it has streamlined the Taiwan Pass, with two versions available for purchase beginning today. The tourism agency has made the pass available to international tourists since 2024, allowing them to access the high-speed rail, Taiwan Railway Corp services, four MRT systems and four Taiwan Tourist Shuttles. Previously, five types of Taiwan Pass were available, but some tourists have said that the offerings were too complicated. The agency said only two types of Taiwan Pass would be available, starting from a three-day pass with the high-speed rail and a three-day pass with Taiwan Railway Corp. The former costs NT$2,800
POLLS CONCERNS: There are concerns within the KMT that a Cheng Li-wun-Xi Jinping meeting could trigger a voter backlash in elections in November Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) accepted an invitation from Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) to visit next month, her party and Chinese state media reported yesterday. Cheng, who took up her role in November last year, “gladly accepted” the invitation to lead a delegation to China, the KMT said in a statement, confirming a Xinhua news agency report. Cheng “looks forward to joint efforts by both parties to advance the peaceful development of cross-strait relations, promote cross-strait exchanges and cooperation, and work for peace in the Taiwan Strait and greater well-being for people on both sides,” the statement said. Chinese
SIGNIFICANT TO THE WORLD: The delegation’s visit aims to send a clear message that bipartisan support for Taiwan is consistent, US Senator Jeanne Shaheen said The US Senate’s bipartisan support for Taiwan remains strong and Taiwan-US ties would continue for decades to come, a US Senate delegation said in Taipei yesterday, while calling on the legislature to swiftly pass a special defense budget bill. A US delegation led by Democratic US Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Republican US Senator John Curtis — both members of the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations — arrived in Taiwan yesterday for a two-day visit. The other senators of the delegation included Senate Taiwan Caucus cochair Thom Tillis and Senate Committee on Armed Services senior member Jacky Rosen. Shaheen told a news
RSS