Every time cane is burned, my asthma comes back, which I thought I outgrew.
I always have red pockets in the back of my throat for at least a week after Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. burns cane, and it burns cane more than once a week.
I can't sleep at night because my throat hurts so bad. It is like constantly swallowing fire, and I know it's from sugar cane burning because the last time I went to the Mainland, after a week my throat had no more red spots or pockets and I could sleep.
Going to school and work is so hard due to my throat. Not being able to sleep, there are days I need to skip school because I just can't breathe. This is college - missing one day of classes can be the difference between having a grade-point average of 3.7 or 3.4.
With work I can't call in sick because I need my job. Think about talking to people for eight hours a day while swallowing red hot pins and needles - it's ruining my life and Maui.
I don't know how much longer I can take the cane smoke. I hope something can be done. I am not able to take a full breath without it hurting, so I have to take small breaths to keep the pain level down.
I know I'm not the only one who has these terrible problems that come from the burning of cane.
Alec Robert Hunt
Kihei
