More robust legislation, including higher fines, are required to stop betel nut vendors illegally selling to underage people, the Consumers’ Foundation said on Thursday, citing the results of its field tests.
The tests in Taiwan’s 22 administrative regions from July to last month collected data from 53 randomly selected betel nut stalls, foundation chairman Wu Jung-ta (吳榮達) told a media briefing at his office in Taipei.
The foundation sent a team with a young adult dressed in a high-school uniform to make purchases, Wu said.
Photo: Chen Wei-chi, Taipei Times
Of the 53 vendors, 30, or 56.6 percent, did not ask about age or check their ID before selling the team member betel nuts, he said.
In doing so, the vendors contravened Article 43 of the Protection of Children and Youths Welfare and Rights Act (兒童及少年福利與權益保障法), which prohibits supplying betel nuts to people aged under 18 and stipulates a fine of NT$10,000 to NT$100,000 (US$313.91 to US$3,139.12).
Betel nut kiosks in Pingtung, Yunlin, Hualien and Taitung counties, as well as in Keelung, failed the test by selling to the team member, while no vendors in Hsinchu City, Chiayi City, Tainan or Penghu County sold to the team, he said.
“Chewing betel nut is known to induce cancer and starting at a young age brings a higher risk of addiction,” Wu said. “It is a serious problem, as the government spends about NT$100 billion annually on cancer treatment and related costs, one-sixth of the National Health Insurance budget.”
The government should draft regulations specifically for the betel nut industry, including rules for where stalls can be set up and who can make purchases, he said, adding that fines should be increased to the levels of the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act (菸害防制法).
“About 2 million people in Taiwan have a betel nut habit, which can lead to oral cancer, as well as dental problems,” said foundation financial officer Hao Sheng-po (侯勝博), who heads the otolaryngology department at Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital.
Betel nut is a stimulant that can lead to addiction, Hao said.
“It contains arecoline, arecaidine and n-nitrosamines, and releases oxyradicals and other toxins that can damage the respiratory system and lead to defects in the DNA,” he said. “It causes damage in the mouth and deformation of the teeth, and regular use for 20 years is associated with high risk of oral and esophageal cancer.”
In Taiwan, 8,000 people a year are diagnosed with oral cancer, with 3,000 dying annually, he said.
Foundation secretary-general Chen Ya-ping (陳雅萍) said that while regulations are meant to protect children, “the Control Yuan in a 2021 report reprimanded the Executive Yuan over a lack of effort to regulate sales and consumption of betel nut.”
“There has been no progress on the matter,” Chen said.
The government should enact regulations for the entire industry from betel nut plantations to distribution and sales, she said, adding that education and warnings are needed to establish a complete management system to safeguard the health of consumers.
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday thanked Palau for its continued support of Taiwan's international participation, as Taipei was once again excluded from the World Health Assembly (WHA) currently taking place in Switzerland. "Palau has never stopped voicing support for Taiwan" in the UN General Assembly, the WHO and other UN-affiliated agencies, Lai said during a bilateral meeting with visiting Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. "We have been profoundly touched by these endorsements," Lai said, praising the Pacific island nation's firm support as "courageous." Lai's remarks came as Taiwan was excluded for the ninth consecutive year from the WHA, which is being held in
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
At least three people died and more than a dozen were injured yesterday afternoon when a vehicle struck a group of pedestrians in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽). The incident happened at about 4pm when a car rammed into pedestrians at an intersection near Bei Da Elementary School. Witnesses said the sedan, being driven at a high speed, ran a red light, knocking scooters out of the way and hitting students crossing the road before careening into a median near the intersection of Guocheng and Guoguang streets. The incident resulted in three deaths and 13 injuries, including the driver, a 78-year-old man
RSS