Betel nut ban policy needs more support from city residents

A BETEL nut ban policy is beneficial for human and environment health as well as to formalise trading activities, instil good moral perception and remove free rider problem associated with cleaning up of trash.
Over the years, betel nut has become a household item, hence, it has been included in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) as it represent a significant percentage of household spending among the chewing population.
The betel nut is no longer a customary item or a nut that is exclusively grown and chewed in the coastal areas.
It has been introduced into the Highlands over the years and owing to its mild stimulating effects, it has become a habit thereby introducing an inelastic demand base.
This had presented the traditional growers and middle men the opportunity to commercialise betel nut owing to its economic viability.
According to various studies into the informal sector, the market for betel nut represents a very complex organisation and is hugely viable in economic terms.
Unlike other cash crops and processed foods, betel nut has a higher turnover rate at the market level, thus it also has a lower perishable risk and higher rate of return.
Despite these facts, betel nut has been criticised and chewers have been conditioned to ‘feel bad’ through various regulations.
One such regulation is the betel nut ban policy that was introduced and implemented in Port Moresby.
The policy has resulted in the formalisation of betel nut trade such as the establishment of trading areas and a total ban in identified areas. This in turn has improved environment health in terms of reduced husks and stains but also
has the possibility of improving human health through effective oral care.
Further improvements are required through a comprehensive policy approach as people are continuing to chew betel nut and black marketers are popping up like mushrooms every day and everywhere in the city alluding solely to the viability of the betel nut market.
From a personal view, the betel nut ban policy is not comprehensible.
It cannot effectively address its objectives unless there is a moral support from the city residents and the policy enforcement agencies and the business houses.
In other words, there should be a collective effort not just from the NCDC and its agents but also from the residents and the business houses.
Commuters should abide by the policies, not just because of the penalties like spot fines and imprisonment but out of moral persuasion.
And business houses and residents should also introduce policies of their own premises to make chewers feel bad for their habit to ensure that the overall betel nut ban policy is adhered to.
At present, the policy is incomprehensible and only if support is pooled from the wider society through other related programmes, the policy’s objective will be achieved.

Mike Haro, Vial email