rp21 situational analysis - Pacific Health Voices

traditional leaders, community leaders, women’s
organisations, and national, State and
local municipal FSM Youth Affairs departments.
At the time of writing, the Ministry
of Health was finalising the latest epidemiological
profile on substance use (2008–09
financial year) and had sought additional
funding to undertake a further substance
use survey. 241
Non-government organisations
The Federated States of Micronesia is a member
of PIANGO. 242 The Micronesia Seminar has
been actively involved in alcohol and other
drug research in Micronesia for over a decade.
Specifically it was involved in a large-scale
survey of Pohnpei, Chuuk, Kosrae and Yap. 243
The Seminar is a public education forum
founded by the Jesuit Order of the Catholic
Church and, while it has been involved in
relevant research and advocated prevention
programming in the past, none of its current
activities is specifically relevant for alcohol
and other drug program implementation. 244
Regulation
In the past an island in the State of Truk
(now Chuuk) implemented a policy of alcohol
prohibition in 1978. 245 Other examples of
this approach have not been identified. The
WHO 2004 Global Status Report on Alcohol
highlights the modern approach, with the
age limit for alcohol purchase set at 21 years,
but with no restrictions on advertising and
sponsorship of sports events or consumption
in public places. However, there were restrictions
on hours of sale, and licensing for sale
and production at the time of reporting. 246
53
241 Personal communication, 2009.
242 At the time of writing, the continuing existence of the PIANGO was under threat due to
funding suspension linked to corporate governance issues, June 2009.
243 The study also included the Marshall Islands and Palau.
244 Micronesia Seminar: (accessed July 2009).
245 J.R. Millay (1987), Prohibition Pacific style: the emergence of a law banning alcohol in Truk,
Legal Studies Forum, XI(2); Moen Municipal Ordinance 5–77.
246 WHO (2004), Global Status Report: Alcohol Policy. Geneva: WHO (accessed January 2009);
International Center for Alcohol Policies, Minimum Age Limits Worldwide: table available at:
(accessed April 2009).
Federated States of Micronesia