This Bud's for US!

I was struck this summer while working on Yap how much Budweiser is imported into the islands. It's the same way on Pohnpei (and I would guess that is also occurs in Chuuk and Kosrae).

How tragic that a mega-company like Budweiser needs to diluge these tiny islands with beer. It must be a tiny fraction of their profits, but it does massive damage to the islanders' health, culture and environment. I've heard horrendous drunk driving stories both on Pohnpei and Yap.

Of course there were intoxicating beverages here before beer was introduced, such as tuba (coconut toddy) on the atolls and sakau (like Polynesian kava) on the larger islands. But consumption was regulated by the effort it took to make it and the availability of the ingredients. Beer supplies are virtually unlimited.

Unfortunately, even if Budweiser chose to stop importing their poison out here, someone else would fill the gap. Talk about heartless companies, it is heartbreaking to see the islands fall apart in order to fill American's pockets with money.