Hong Kong lawmakers draft law to ban smoking
Mon Jan 10, 2005

HONG KONG (AFP) - Hong Kong lawmakers were drafting a law to ban smoking in public places, joining New York and countries such as Ireland and Norway in leading the charge against tobacco.

The proposed amendment, which came before the Legislative Council (LegCo) health services panel for discussion Monday morning, aims to ban smoking in all restaurants, bars, karaokes, indoor working places, schools, universities and nursing homes.

At the meeting, most legislators expressed their support of the law and said other places such as saunas and massage or mahjong parlours should not be exempt from the ban.

Under the proposal, there will be a grace period of three months to a year for various establishments once the bill becomes law.

In October, the territory's legislature voted overwhelmingly in favour of the ban. Legislation should be in place by this summer.

The smoking ban is supported by the majority of Hong Kong citizens, according to surveys.

A study released by the Democratic Party Sunday showed 72.4 percent of 725 respondents believed the smoking ban in restaurants should become law and implemented immediately.

Nearly 80 percent wanted an immediate ban on smoking in work places.

Italy became the latest place to impose stricter restrictions on smokers, with a ban on smoking in all public places going into effect Monday.

really? Then will the business on karaokes, pubs, restaurants...etc drop??

i personally do not think that such a law would work eventhough i really wanted it to work.

Yay!

Such a ban is already in place in many Western cities. If everyone bans smoking, customers will either have to stay out of all of them or cope. While smokers might go out less often, non-smokers will visit more often and perhaps spend a bit more per visit.

Yay!

I think California banned smoking in public places way before any parts of USA.

When I went back to HK just a few weeks ago I couldn't stand people smoking in public places after the trip I ended up having a slight case of bronchitis.

It is time that the government started to do something about the serious smoking problems in HK. In my opinion, if the smoking ban does not get passed, the government should propose to reduce the percent of smoking areas within restaurants. Though a smoking ban would not be very fesible in my opinion, but it is still a good sign that the government is taking a step in concerning the health of the citizens.

goodluck to you!

here in the philippines, when they banned smoking in enclosed places there was some initial resistance and alot of bars, restaurants complained of reduced customers.. but afterwards the bars designated smoking areas and i think that the customers came back as a result..

i think 90% of the malls are already compliant with the law.. but there are some hard-headed people who still do not abide by it..

This is indeed great news !!! Apart from the placed mentioned above, TORONTO has had this law for some time. It is so progressive!!! The Netherlands is also moving (alas slower) there. Last year they finally banned smoking in public transportation (trains), and offices. 10 years overdue !!!

New code on smoking for health sector
Raymond Ma
6 February 2005
South China Morning Post

The World Health Organisation is to ask medical groups in Hong Kong to adopt a code of practice in dealing with the tobacco industry and to help reduce smoking.

About 70 groups representing of health professionals - doctors, nurses, pharmacists, the self-medication industry and the medical faculties of universities in Hong Kong - will be asked to adopt the code, according to WHO senior policy adviser Judith Mackay.

This comes amid concerns that the medical sector has been slow to show support for reforms to the city's antismoking laws, and after the revelation that one top local academic institution has taken tobacco money to fund cancer and nicotine research.

The code of practice, adopted by a WHO conference on health professionals and tobacco control in January last year, asks signatories to encourage members to quit smoking, refrain from accepting support from the tobacco industry and openly support campaigns for smoke-free public places.

The initiative is being spearheaded in Hong Kong by Dr Mackay, one of the authors of the code, and former lawmaker Lo Wing-lok - who is also a member of Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health.

Hong Kong is one of the first places where national medical groups will be asked to join.

Asked whether the code was expected to be readily adopted by the local health sector, Dr Mackay said: "There has been absolutely zero opposition so far from the international bodies {hellip} but some of the organisations [in Hong Kong] will have to have committee meetings to endorse it."

Late last year, the University of Science and Technology came under attack when the Sunday Morning Post revealed a non-medical faculty had taken millions in research funding from tobacco giant Philip Morris.

i cant wait til no smoking!

HK learns the full, 'alarming' costs of smoking
Experts' 5-year research likely to bolster push for law change
Raymond Ma
20 February 2005
South China Morning Post

Landmark findings on the financial strain that cigarette smoking is putting on Hong Kong's health system will be unveiled by international academics this week. The figures would cause alarm, a medic and legislator predicted.

The estimate of the economic costs of smoking - the fruit of five years' of research - will be included in a 50-page report to be released on Thursday. The report is expected to show that previous estimates of the cost of smoking in Hong Kong fell far short of the mark.

"Having this new information should remove any shred of doubt that we need to move ahead with more effective smoke-free laws as soon as possible," Sarah McGhee, of the University of Hong Kong, said yesterday.

The closest authoritative dollar estimate so far of the impact of smoking in Hong Kong - $900 million a year - was released by the government late last year.

The latest study, led by HKU academics, is based on more expansive data and, for the first time, takes into account passive smoking in calculating the cost of treating diseases caused by tobacco.

"I expect the results from this study to be quite alarming," said medical sector legislator Kwok Ka-ki, who is aware of the research but is not involved in it.

The HKU findings are likely to form a key plank in the government's campaign to push through a controversial ban on smoking in restaurants and bars as part of reforms to anti-smoking laws.

The reforms are aimed at reducing harm to the 85.6 per cent of the population that does not smoke.

The findings will also set the stage for another round of debate in a Legislative Council panel meeting on Friday, when officials are expected to reveal results of a study on the economic impact of smoking bans in restaurants and bars overseas.

The HKU research was carried out in the university's department of community medicine in collaboration with health economist Helen Lapsley, of the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia.

Professor McGhee, research project leader, said: "Until now we have not had a comprehensive, up-to-date, reliable estimate of the cost of diseases caused by tobacco, including passive smoking.

"Having this information at our fingertips should remove any shred of doubt that we need to move ahead with more effective smoke-free laws as soon as possible."

Smoking kills up to 7,100 each year in Hong Kong, according to previous studies - including 1,300 non-smokers who die from passive smoking.

In Australia, three studies - all co-authored by Dr Lapsley - have been carried out for the federal government since 1991.

The latest, published in 2002, put the annual cost of smoking at A$21.1 billion ($129.7 billion) for a country of 20 million people and a smoking rate of 19 per cent.

The 2002 study was the most extensive so far and examined everything from the drain on welfare services due to smoking, to crime, workplace absenteeism, fires started by live cigarettes, and even the cost of littering by smokers.

A US Centre for Diseases Control study blames smoking for about US$157 billion in annual health-related economic losses in the United States.

Hong Kong health-sector insiders expect draft amendments to the Smoking (Public Health) ordinance to be submitted to Legco by May.

Last year tax revenue generated by the sale of tobacco products was $2.3 billion - just over 1 per cent of government income.

Meanwhile, an alliance of 20 medical, civilian and educational groups supporting government proposals to tighten anti-smoking laws plans to sign the World Health Organisation's code of practice on dealing with tobacco firms next week.

This should have been inacted long ago :okay:

Good news :okay:

As the first article says, Norway has banned public smoking and we're now one of the leading the charge against tobacco. Some is really opposit against that, while hundreds of thousands has stopped smoking. But extremly many has stopped smoking the last 5 years and many more is in progress of stopping.

:), i dont think its good news ;;;;;

Hong Kong Expects to Extend Smoking Ban by Aug 2006
Fri Feb 25,11:43 PM ET

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong's government expects to extend a ban on smoking to bars, restaurants and offices in August next year at the earliest, joining a growing list of cities worldwide outlawing lighting up in crowded places.

The administration first proposed the wider ban in 2001 to protect people from second-hand smoke, but met fierce resistance from businesses, which are highly influential in politics. Last October, the government decided to introduce the smoke-ban bill.

"We hope to present the bill to the Legislative Council in May, and it will take at least another 15 months to take effect as law," a government spokeswoman told Reuters on Saturday, quoting Permanent Secretary for Health, Carrie Yau.

The bill will expand non-smoking areas to all indoor restaurants, bars, karaoke lounges and outdoor campuses and tightens controls over the sale and promotion of tobacco.

Smoking has been banned in shopping centers, cinemas, supermarkets and banks since 1998, and big restaurants are already required to have designated no-smoking zones.

According to the World Health Organization, 16 people die in Hong Kong each day from tobacco-related illnesses. About 15 percent of the population of seven million smokes.

In March last year, Ireland became the first country in Europe to outlaw smoking in pubs, bars and restaurants. Similar bans are in force in several U.S. cities, including New York.

Hong Kong is losing HK$5.3 billion (US$679 million) a year to smoking via lost productivity and health care costs, medical experts have said.

Hong Kong government eyes complete ban on indoor smoking
April 1, 2005

HONG KONG (AFP) - The Hong Kong government said it was planning a complete ban on indoor smoking and would present a bill to that effect before the legislature next month.

The smoking ban would cover indoor areas such as restaurants, bars, karaokes, indoor working places, schools and nursing homes, but saunas and massage or mahjong parlours would be exempt.

Under the proposal, there will be a grace period of three to six months for various establishments once the bill becomes law, Health Secretary York Chow said, adding he was confident the bill would be passed at the legislature.

In October, the territory's legislature voted overwhelmingly in favour of the ban. Legislation should be in place by this summer.

Hong Kong publishes bill banning smoking in bars, restaurants

Fri Apr 29, 3:10 AM ET

HONG KONG, (AFP) - The Hong Kong government published a bill extending anti-smoking laws to nearly all public indoor areas including restaurants, bars and workplaces.

The bill, which includes restrictions on tobacco advertising and promotion, would also bar smoking in schools, karaoke bars, mahjong parlours, commercial bath-houses and nursing homes.

"The danger and harmful effects of tobacco is no long in doubt. The current law isn't enough. The (extension) will ensure the health of staff and customers can be properly protected," Leung Ting-hung, deputy director of the Health, told reporters.

Smoking, which is estimated to kill about 5,700 people every year in Hong Kong, is already banned in cinemas, shopping malls, supermarkets, banks and department stores.

Smoking at home, in hotel rooms and in smoking areas of airports will be exempt from the new law, which gives affected premises a three-month grace period.

In line with other anti-smoking legislation across the world, tobacco manufacturers will have to print pictorial health warnings over no less than half their products' packaging. They will be given a year to comply.

"We are hoping that the images would deter people from smoking and help them to understand the various dangers caused by smoking. This is found to be effective," Leung said.

Anyone breaking the new law, which will be introduced to the Legislative Council on May 11, will be liable to a 5,000 dollar (641 US dollars) fine.

Monday May 2, 12:27 PM
Reports: 200 businesses turn off lights along major Hong Kong road to protest smoking ban

AP - About 200 businesses on a major Hong Kong road shut off their neon signs to protest government plans to implement an indoor smoking ban that they say would threaten their livelihoods by driving away smokers, newspapers reported Monday.

Restaurants, saunas, night clubs and other businesses on Nathan Road turned off their lights from 9 p.m. (1300 GMT) to midnight (1600 GMT) Sunday, the Ming Pao Daily News reported.

Smoking is currently banned in movie theaters, shopping malls, supermarkets and department stores, but Hong Kong's government plans to introduce legislation this month expanding the ban to all indoor public places to improve air quality and reduce deaths from second-hand smoking.

Similar bans in other countries have not affected businesses, the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau said in a statement, adding that proprietors would be given a 90-day grace period to comply with the ban.

Sunday's protest came at the beginning of the weeklong May Day holiday in neighboring mainland China, when Hong Kong is expected to see an influx of Chinese tourists.

Business owners say the ban would drive away customers who smoke. Newspapers ran pictures showing a dimmed Nathan Road.

About 15 percent of Hong Kong's population above age 15, or 847,000 people, were smokers in 2003. The government has said Hong Kong spends 900 million Hong Kong dollars (US$115 million) a year treating smoking-related diseases.

Hundreds protest anti-smoking plans in Hong Kong
Wed May 11, 5:12 AM ET

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Owners and workers of Hong Kong bars and mahjong parlours mounted a rare protest on Wednesday to condemn a government plan to enact tough anti-smoking laws which they said would kill the city's entertainment business.
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Crowding outside the Legislative Council building in the Central business district, many of the estimated 200 protesters puffed away at cigarettes as they held up placards to denounce the proposed law.

"Smoking ban will drive away customers," the banners read.

Inside the legislative chamber, senior government officials proposed extending existing laws against smoking in shopping malls, banks and supermarkets to cover all indoor areas to better protect workers from second-hand smoke.

This means it would be an offence to smoke in restaurants, bars, karaoke lounges, mahjong parlours, commercial bathhouses and other work places. Fines would stay at HK$5,000 (340 pounds).

"We hope to have the law implemented next year," said a government spokeswoman.

But owners and workers at these establishments say the tough measures would destroy the entertainment industry.

"Ninety percent of our customers smoke and they just won't visit our premises anymore if they can't smoke," said Chan Keung, owner of one of Hong Kong's estimated 750 mahjong parlours.

Mahjong is a very popular game with Chinese with four players.

"If someone needs to go outside to smoke, does that mean the other three will have to sit there and wait?" Chan said, adding that the livelihoods of thousands of workers would be threatened by the new law.

"I'd rather breathe second-hand smoke than die of starvation!"

Cheng Chi-mun, a smoker and patron of mahjong parlours, said he would prefer to stay home when the new law is in place.

"I come here for leisure. Gambling and smoking is just normal and if I can't do that, I just won't come," he said.

According to the World Health Organisation, 16 people in Hong Kong die each day from tobacco-related illnesses. About 15 percent of the population of nearly seven million smokes.

Days numbered for cigar bars
Hong Kong Standard
June 6, 2005

Cigar merchants and aficionados are demanding an exemption from the blanket ban on smoking in all enclosed public places, arguing that the move is "barbaric" and would ruin thriving businesses.

They say that the cigar business and enjoyment of cigars are dependent on providing an environment to gather and taste cigars, and in such enclosed establishments the non-smoking public is rarely affected.

"Most customers prefer to sit down in the cigar shops and try them before buying. If smoking is banned in all indoor places our whole operation must then be discontinued," Kennith Wong, general manager of Pacific Cigars Hong Kong, said.

The company operates six cigar shops and lounges in the territory and is one of several key players in the industry which, according to Wong, sells about 1 million premium cigars a year. The luxury items cost between HK$100 to HK$200 each.

Over 20 cigar shops and about 40 cigar bars in the territory would face a 70 percent cut in business or even closure, Wong said, and more than 100 jobs would be affected by the tobacco control laws.

The Smoking (Public Health) (Amendment) Bill 2005, set to come into effect next year, will make all covered public places in Hong Kong, including bars, restaurants, and entertainment venues smoke-free.

Affected venues may be given a grace period of 90 days to prepare.

"A democratic society shouldn't be like this," a manager of a hotel cigar shop and lounge, who declined to be named, said. His shop has about 1,000 regular customers. "We support the ban in restaurants, but here we don't disturb others. It's not illegal, so why not give us a choice? Vehicles let out hazardous fumes, so why not ban private cars? "

Kenneth Li, 37, said: "We are well-mannered and considerate people. How often do you see someone smoking a cigar in a busy restaurant? For us [lounging in cigar shops] is a culture, it's a social activity."

Li's companions, most of them men over 35, criticized the amendment bill as "barbaric" and "authoritarian."

But although cigar shops and bars do not force passive smoking on the non-smoking public, they do put the health of serving staff at risk. "We can downsize the staff and introduce more self-service. It could be done," Wong said.

But Lo Wing-lok, chairman of the People's Health Action and member of the Council on Smoking and Health, said he sees no reason for exemptions.

"Many of these cigar shops and bars are in hotels and are a part of the central air ventilation system. Saying no one else is affected is wrong," Lo said. "Any exemptions would weaken the health warning against something that is obviously a public health hazard."

Pacific Cigar's Wong protested: "Hong Kong is running much faster than other places in the world," quoting exemptions for cigar bars in New York where in New York City laws also allow restaurant owners to create separate ventilated smoking rooms.

Last year, Ireland and Norway banned smoking in bars and restaurants, while recently Sweden joined in the ban for smoking in restaurants.

Scotland and England plan to ban smoking in enclosed public places from 2006.

In Hong Kong, catering and entertainment businesses have protested against the one-off full ban, which will affect 10,000 bars, restaurants and entertainment premises such as karaoke lounges, nightclubs, bathhouses and mah-jong parlors.

They expect business to drop by more than 30 per cent after the ban is imposed and fear it will lead to business closures and staff layoffs.

The ban also covers all 2,000 education institutions and tens of thousands of workplaces. About 15 percent of Hong Kong's adult population smokes. The government estimates that only 0.3 percent, or about 2,300 of the 867,000 daily smokers smoke cigars and pipes.

But cigar lovers say the number is much larger than that and could be up to 30,000.

A spokeswoman from Philip Morris, the largest tobacco seller in Hong Kong with over 55 per cent of the market share, said: "We fully support the bill's principles, but we believe the government should give entertainment venues the flexibility to decide how to accommodate their smoking customers."

A spokeswoman from the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau did not respond to questions concerning the potential negative economic impact the ban is feared to trigger, saying only that the smoking ban has not affected the businesses of the tourism or hospitality industries in other jurisdictions including New York, California and New Zealand. "The 800 no-smoking restaurants in Hong Kong have also had very positive experiences," she said.

:)

why haven't anyone thought or tried creating cigarettes/cigars which are not harmful to human bodies? That way, smoking wouldn't be a problem.

Hundreds from Hong Kong entertainment trade protest smoking bill
June 7, 2005

HONG KONG (AFP) - Hundreds of people employed in Hong Kong's entertainment industry took to the streets in protest at government proposals to ban smoking in public indoor areas.

Donning surgical masks, more than 200 people from mahjong parlours, massage and sauna establishments, nightclubs, discos and bars joined the rally claiming a ban put their businesses at risk and urging the government to exempt them.

Ling Leong, director of KC City that owns 11 mahjong parlours across the Chinese territory, said a ban would put them out of business as 90 percent of their customers as well as their staff were smokers.

"Our business is very different from restaurants. Our customers often spend eight and nine hours each time in our parlour. It's impossible to tell them not to smoke," Leong said.

Kwok Yun-kin, general manager of Silver Spring Sauna, said the ban would further worsen trade that had already been hit by fierce competition from bars across the border in China.

"We have already lost a lot of our customers to Shenzhen (a city in neighbouring southern China). If they can't smoke, they would go somewhere else. If we go out of business, a lot of jobs will be lost," she said.

"All of our customers are adults and they are old enough to decide what is good for them."

The local government published a bill in April extending anti-smoking laws to nearly all public indoor areas including restaurants, bars and workplaces, although smoking at home, in hotel rooms and in smoking areas of airports will be exempt.

The bill also includes restrictions on tobacco advertising and promotion. Smoking, which is estimated to kill about 5,700 people every year in Hong Kong, is already banned in cinemas, shopping malls, supermarkets, banks and department stores.

...
Donning surgical masks, more than 200 people from mahjong parlours, massage and sauna establishments, nightclubs, discos and bars joined the rally claiming a ban put their businesses at risk and urging the government to exempt them.
...


erm... I don't go to the abovementioned places, so nvm if they allow smoking in there... :P

Smoking ban U-turn fears

The government appears to be backtracking on its pledge to introduce a sweeping ban on smoking in public areas to protect the health of workers.

Mimi Lau
Hong Kong Standard
Thursday, January 05, 2006

The government appears to be backtracking on its pledge to introduce a sweeping ban on smoking in public areas to protect the health of workers.

A bill to this effect was submitted to the Legislative Council for discussion and was due to have its second reading before July.

However, during a Legco panel discussion Wednesday, the deputy secretary of Health, Welfare and Food Ingrid Yeung said some entertainment establishments might be exempted from the ban should it be shown their business would suffer.

Yeung's offer flies in the face of an April statement by health chief York Chow that there would be no exemptions whatever.

"We certainly can't expect customers in saunas to get dressed to smoke a cigarette outside the premises in the middle of a sauna session," Yeung commented.

Legislator Kwok Ka-ki, representing the medical sector, said no business should be exempted without sufficient statistics to back their claims.

"Why should workers in some sectors be exposed to the danger of second- hand smoke and not others?" Kwok asked the Legco meeting. "Society as a whole is paying a high cost for smoking ... are some people of less value so they don't deserve the same protection from the law?"

Yeung replied that, in some entertainment businesses, it was possible to relax the ban without, at the same time, jeopardizing the health of workers. She said details of places that could be exempted would be submitted to the Legislative Council before the lunar new year.

In April last year, after a meeting with Canadian health minister Ujjal Dosanjh, Chow said: "We will not allow any exemption from the smoking ban as we want to convey a clear message to the public that we strongly want Hong Kong to be a smoke-free city.

"Mahjong and massage parlors have relatively more smokers, but these places have workers too.

"Since there is more second-hand smoke, no exemption should be allowed.

"It is only fair that the ban should apply to all entertainment premises."

Catering sector legislator Tommy Cheung said he did not mind being accused of putting pressure on the government. "The bill is very controversial and affects many industries so it should be handled carefully," Cheung said.

A spokesman from the bureau later tried to put a lid on the controversy, saying the government had not come to any decision as yet.

"The bill hasn't been passed and we are still listening to public opinion," the spokesman said.

He refused to comment on whether the bureau had been subjected to political pressure.

City University's law school associate dean Priscilla Leung said the pressure on the government came more from the public rather than the political parties or groups.

"The government is under public pressure because those drafting the bill did not consider all matters thoroughly," Leung said.

Anthony Lock, speaking for the Catering and Entertainment Premises Smoking Ban Regulations Concern Group, said the government is testing the water.

Asked how the industry would react should government decide on a compromise, Lock said more exemptions should be made to address the various difficulties being faced by many industries. "A smoking ban means a change in one's lifestyle and habits. As such, it should be carried out gradually," Lock said.

The Smoking (Public Health Amendment) Bill 2005 is supposed to have its second reading in the Legislative Council before July.

In the American state of California, a smoking ban was imposed in the mid- 1970s, though some places are allowed to have smoking areas.

In Spain, on the other hand, a sweeping no smoking ban was introduced on January 1, 2006.

I think we should create cigarettes/cigars that leave all harmful substances inside the smoker, and only air gets exhaled. :p

Three-phased smoking ban to start next year

The government will introduce its long- delayed smoking ban early next year but a proposed timetable will give a four- year grace period to some facilities that claim the ban will harm their business.

Cannix Yau
Hong Kong Standard
Thursday, January 19, 2006

The government will introduce its long- delayed smoking ban early next year but a proposed timetable will give a four-year grace period to some facilities that claim the ban will harm their business.

The timetable, revealed by a Legislative Council source Wednesday, will see the ban go into effect in January next year for all workplaces, restaurants and other public buildings.

Bars will be exempt until 2009 and massage parlors, nightclubs and mahjong parlors will not be covered until 2011.

The phased implementation appears to be a government stab at a compromise with business owners who are against the ban.

Last April, health chief York Chow pledged there would be no exemptions under the bill, but in recent weeks, the government has been more accommodating to the concerns of nightclubs, saunas and other establishments.

Earlier this month, Deputy Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food Ingrid Yeung said some entertainment establishments might be exempted should it be shown their business will suffer.

A government source refused to comment on the timetable, saying, "We haven't reached a final decision on the smoking ban yet."

Democrat Andrew Cheng, the chairman of Legco's smoking amendment bill committee, said he was dismayed by the decision to delay the ban on entertainment premises.

He said the grace period should be as short as possible.

"It is understandable that some entertainment premises want a grace period of one or two years for them to assess their own situations and adapt to the ban," he said.

"But this grace period is unreasonably lengthy. I am very disappointed. It shows that the government is not determined enough in combating indoor smoking and pushing for a smoke-free environment."

A ban on smoking in Hong Kong was first proposed in 2001, but bar owners, restaurateurs, and nightclubs have lobbied fiercely against the idea, saying it will cost them customers.

The bill was finally brought to Legco by the government last year but lawmakers failed to reach a consensus and the government said it would amend the legislation.

A staunch pro-smoking advocate has been the Liberal Party's Tommy Cheung, who represents the catering sector. He is against the timetable and wants all entertainment premises to be permanently exempted from the ban.

"Even if the grace period is longer, I won't support it," Cheung said. "For entertainment premises, I don't think they pose a hazard to the employees' health. When customers are receiving massage services, I don't think they will smoke. Therefore, there is a low chance that the employees will be subjected to a secondhand smoking environment."

Cheung said the proposed ban is too strict, claiming that some foreign countries exempt entertainment premises from similar prohibitions.

The movement to ban smoking in public places gained considerable momentum in the past year globally, leaving Hong Kong out of step with much of the developed world.

In March, Ireland imposed a nationwide ban on smoking in all workplaces, bars and restaurants against fierce opposition. In May, India banned smoking in public places. Norway followed suit with an all-out ban in June and in November, Scotland announced a ban on smoking in public buildings which is expected to be extended to bars, restaurants and other public spaces.

England and Wales are considering similar restrictions. Several US states, including California and New York, have banned smoking in all public places, including bars and nightclubs.

Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health chairman Homer Tso said he was disappointed by the prolonged timetable.

"A comprehensive smoking ban will take a further three to five years to be fully introduced. During this period, more people will suffer and who will bear the responsibility?" he asked.

Hong Kong will become smoke-free by 2009 if new plan is approved
24 January 2006
South China Morning Post

Hong Kong will be a "smoke-free" city no later than July 1, 2009, under a two-phase plan, a government source said yesterday while admitting to a political compromise.

Instead of giving a 90-day grace period after a law was enacted this year, as was planned, the government said yesterday it would ban smoking in all restaurants, billiard rooms, karaoke lounges and bars open to all age groups by January 1 next year. Bars open to people aged 18 and over, mahjong parlours and clubs, bathhouses and nightclubs will be smoke-free by July 1, 2009. "Cigar-tasting rooms" in cigar shops will be exempt.

Government sources last week said the plan was to implement the bans in 2007, 2009 and 2011.

Yesterday, a government source said: "The government has struck a balance between public health and the business interests of the industries. The timeline will not be postponed or made earlier."

The plan will be discussed at this morning's meeting of the Legco Bills Committee. Liberal Party catering sector representative Tommy Cheung Yu-yan said he suggested scrapping the grace period "so that starting from tomorrow everybody will plan a year in advance".

But he said he was very disappointed that the date for the second stage was being advanced from 2011 to 2009.

"These sectors were hoping for an exemption period because they believe it is detrimental to their businesses {hellip} putting them out of business and their employees out of a job," Mr Cheung said.

But Democratic Party legislator Fred Li Wah-ming said the government was practically extending the grace period.

He said: "If we talk about [implementing] next year, surely that is more than 90 days. The Smoking Amendment Bill will be passed before the summer, in June or July. We should not wait until January 1."

Kwok Ka-ki, legislator for the medical sector, said: "That is the best we can do. We can never say this is very good, but it is the best I can do for the public. We need to get the bill passed."

A cancer patient and lobbyists were critical of the move.

Anthony Hedley, of the tobacco control research and policy unit of the University of Hong Kong, said: "This is simply going to prolong the battle because for each of these grace period milestones it is nothing but predictable that the [catering] industry will fight it tooth and nail."

Lung cancer patient Peter Kovolsky described the decision as a shame.

"[The administration] is putting money of private interests in front of Hong Kong people's health and welfare, and in front of the government's expenditure for health care," said Mr Kovolsky.

personally, i am in favour of the non-smoking bill. many overseas countries have already adopted such policies in their bars & restaurants, the arguments made infavour are generally employee & customers' health & environment

From news.gov.hk:
Revised smoking ban proposal 'strikes balance' (http://news.gov.hk/en/category/healthandcommunity/060124/html/060124en05002.htm)

Full version of The Smoking (Public Health) (Amendment) Bill 2005 (http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr04-05/english/bills/b0504292.pdf)

IMO, I wanna ban smoking in all indoor areas ASAP!!! :|

^^ Same here!!!!

Second-hand smoke kills 800 a year, study shows
Raymond Ma
South China Morning Post
February 5, 2006

Passive smoking in the workplace causes around 800 deaths a year in Hong Kong and costs $600 million in health care and lost productivity, researchers estimate.

Researchers from the University of Hong Kong's tobacco control research and policy unit said the victims die from lung cancer, chronic lung disease, heart disease and strokes.

The $600 million comprises $270 million on hospital beds, $138 million in family doctor visits, and $192 million in working days lost to illness.

Researchers stressed the figures were a conservative estimate.

Details will be presented to a Legislative Council bills committee on Tuesday when both sides in the debate on anti-smoking legislation present their views.

The tobacco control lobby will be renewing its call for a full ban on smoking in public places after a recent setback for its campaign. They will be joined by the Hong Kong Medical Association, which will also call for a return to a comprehensive ban on smoking indoors without exemptions.

Last month the government announced that a grace period for a smoking ban in bars, mahjong parlours, bathhouses and nightclubs would be extended from 90 days effective from the passing of anti-smoking legislation - expected by the middle of this year - to 2009.

Other indoor workplaces will become smoke-free in 2007.

Anthony Hedley, director of the HKU unit, warned that staff working in bars and other industries in which a ban will be delayed were likely to be exposed to stronger doses of tobacco smoke because smokers would gravitate towards businesses that still allowed smoking.

The HKU unit will also call for a detailed explanation of why cigar shops will be exempt from the proposed ban, ask who requested the exemptions, and reiterate concerns over "brand-stretching" tactics - used by such companies such as Philip Morris, which promotes a clothing brand spun off from its Marlboro cigarette line.

"In my view we are on the verge of losing our control of environmental tobacco advertising and putting the clock and public health back to the pre-1997 situation," Dr Hedley said.

South China Morning Post
February 8, 2006
Property sector will be hit by smoking ban, says agency
Patsy Moy

Property yesterday became the latest industry to claim it would be dealt a severe blow by the government's proposed smoking ban.

An executive of one of the city's biggest estate agencies said property prices could plummet as bars and restaurants lost business and closed because of the ban.

But the chief of another big agency disagreed, saying entertainment venues were facing intense competition from Macau and the mainland and were using the looming smoking ban as an excuse to shut down.

Deputy Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food (Health) Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan told legislators the government would carry out an independent study to assess the economic impact of the smoking ban on the property and entertainment industries.

Executive director of Midland Realty (Shops) Wong Tsz-wa told legislators that if the ban went ahead, not only would catering and entertainment workers lose their jobs but landlords would also be hit as businesses closed.

"It is difficult for some premises to be leased for other businesses ... restaurants and nightclubs rent shops with large floor areas," Mr Wong told a meeting of the Legislative Council Bills Committee, which is studying the law amendment. "Both rental and property prices will plunge if the shops become vacant."

He said commercial properties in Tsim Sha Tsui and Causeway Bay could be hardest hit, as the catering industry accounted for about 25 per cent of the rental market in those areas.

Speaking after the meeting, Wong Leung-sing, head of the research department of Centaline Property Agency, said competition from Macau and the mainland was causing the catering and entertainment industries to shrink.

"The [pending] smoking ban is used as an excuse by the sectors only to justify their commercial decisions to close down or move their businesses out of Hong Kong," Mr Wong said.

Transport operators also said they feared a further deterioration in their business.

Taxi and Public Light Bus Concern Alliance chairman Lai Ming-hung told legislators the transport business had been severely hurt since more people were travelling across the border to enjoy the night life there.

He said this trend would increase after the smoking ban was imposed.

The catering industry has claimed 100,000 people could lose their jobs as a result of the ban.

Under its latest proposal, the government plans to ban smoking in all restaurants, karaokes and pubs by next January, and in bathhouses, mahjong parlours and nightclubs in July 2009.

The longer grace period for the latter group came under fire from anti-tobacco groups yesterday.

Director of Asian Consultancy on Tobacco Control Judith Mackay said: "Hong Kong has already been on an exceedingly slow path to introducing smoking bans in the workplace and restaurants for the last quarter of a century. Further delays are unacceptable in terms of public health."

Committee on Youth Smoking Prevention chairman Tik Chi-yuen proposed that the smoking ban be expanded to public outdoor areas, such as all public parks and country parks, which were popular among families and young people.

Leo Sin Yat-ming, a member of the Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health, said entertainment premises should be the first to impose a ban as they had more patrons who were smokers than other sectors and its workers were exposed to a higher health risk.

That sucks big time!!! :down:

Catering industry supports smoke-free policy
Friday, March 17, 2006
Government Press Release

The Department of Health and the catering industry have jointly set up the "Smoke-free Restaurants Working Group" to enhance the industry's awareness about the harmful effects of second-hand smoking.

Speaking at a press conference today (March 17), the Deputy Director of Health and Co-chairman of the working group, Dr TH Leung said the working group was formed to tie in with the implementation of the government's tobacco control policy.

In order to support the proposed amendments to the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance and to protect employees of catering services from passive smoking, he said the DH had worked together with trade bodies in the industry to speed up the promotion of a smoke-free environment in local food premises.

These trade bodies included the Association for Hong Kong Catering Services Management Ltd, the Association of Restaurant Managers and the Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants & Related Trades.

"The working group will assist the industry to gain a better understanding of the rationale behind the implementation of smoke-free measures at the indoor areas of work places and the various provisions under the proposed amendments. It will also introduce government's publicity campaigns on tobacco control to the sector.

"Publicity and health education are essential elements in an effective tobacco control strategy. These activities would enable members of the public to realise the hazardous effects of smoking, encouraging them not to smoke.

"DH's Tobacco Control Office (TCO) will work closely with the catering industry in disseminating anti-smoking messages to the general public as well as the work force in the catering industry," Dr Leung said.

He said the working group would carry out promotional activities in three phases.

"In the short term, the working group will hold six seminars between March and August this year to enable the industry to know about the proposed legislative amendments and to assist them to better understand the regulatory requirements. The first seminar will be held on March 23.

"Large-scale campaigns of different kinds will be launched during the intermediate stage to promote the anti-smoking policy.

"We have tentatively planned to designate a Smoke-free Catering Premises Open Day in September this year. Catering premises will be invited to take part in this event.

"In addition, the TCO will launch a series of roving exhibition on the same theme in housing estates and shopping malls," Dr Leung said.

In the long term, Dr Leung said the working group, with the cooperation of the managements in the industry, will promote the anti-smoking policy among employees and customers of food premises.

"Two booklets, "Smoke-free Restaurant Implementation Guideline" and "Smoking Cessation Handbook for Employees in the Catering Industry", will be compiled to promote compliance in the industry once the proposed amendment bill is approved and during the adaptation period before enactment of the new regulations," Dr Leung added.

Another co-chairman of the working group, Mr Anthony Lock, said in the press conference that the promotion of a smoke-free environment in the community is a long-term and important project.

"It needs the concerted effort of the Government, the catering sector and the community at large to make Hong Kong becomes a smoke-free city.

"The catering sector endorsed the government's tobacco control policy and supported a step-by-step strategy.

"The set up of the working group can act as a bridge to promote communication between the government and the catering sector. It also helps the business adapt to the challenges ahead so as to reduce the impact caused by the new regulatory requirements," Mr Lock said.

Mr Lock is also the convener of the Catering Entertainment Premises Smoking Ban Regulations Concern Group.

Also present at the press conference were Chairman of the Association of Restaurant Managers, Mr Chung Wai-ping; Chairman of the Association for Hong Kong Catering Services Management Ltd, Mr Yeung Wai-sing; and President of the Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants & Related Trades, Mr Wong Ka-wo.

Xinhua News:
Hong Kong strives for smoke-free eating environment (http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-03/18/content_4314841.htm)

Cigarette price cuts criticized
Wendy Leung
Hong Kong Standard
Thursday, March 30, 2006

An American tobacco company whose products account for about 40 percent of all tobacco sales in Hong Kong has been accused of slashing its prices to lure young people ahead of a smoking ban in public places.

And a spokesman of a rival tobacco company said that if Philip Morris wanted a price war, it could have one.

A source familiar with the industry said that starting from April 6, Philip Morris will cut by up to 20 percent prices of its popular brands such as Marlboro, Virginia Slims, Saratoga and Next.

Currently, most imported brands cost around HK$30 a packet retail.

After the price cut, Next will be the cheapest brand on the market, retailing for about HK$20.

Philip Morris Hong Kong and Macau office corporate affairs manager Rebecca Ng said the company planned to cut prices of just two brands, Marlboro and Next.

Ng said that low-priced brands enjoy a bigger market share and that the company was merely trying to reach into this market.

But medical sector legislator Kwok Ka-ki said Wednesday the price cut was "outrageous" and appeared directed at attracting young people.

He said he suspected lower prices were also aimed at getting more people hooked on the weed before the anti- smoking bill is passed in summer.

Philip Ho, a spokesman for British American Tobacco, the second-largest cigarette company, said the move by Philip Morris would have a severe impact on the local tobacco industry.

"I don't understand why they are doing this unless it is to attract the younger generation," Ho said.

"However, if this is a price war, we are ready to meet them head-on."

RTHK news:
Public rally will urge government to double taxes on tobacco 2006-03-31 HKT 10:46

The Legislative Council's medical representative, Kwok Ka-ki, is organising a rally tomorrow to call on the government to double taxes on tobacco. This comes after a tobacco company announced a four dollar price cut on seven of its brands. Dr Lo Wing-lok, from the Council on Smoking and Health, also says the government should increase the tax on tobacco products.

RTHK news:
New smoking fine proposed (http://www.rthk.org.hk/rthk/news/elocal/rthk_newsframe.htm?20060404&56&299780)

六成人贊成違例吸煙罰1500
2006年4月10日

【明報專訊】政府擬修例，日後在禁煙場所吸煙的違例煙民，一律定額罰款1500元。民主黨一項調查發現，八成受訪者及逾半煙民贊成定額罰款，六成人認為罰款額應在1500元或以上。另外，亦有八成受訪者贊成將禁煙範圍，擴大至室外所有巴士站及輪候公共交通工具的地方。

民主黨在本月4日至6日，透過音頻電話訪問506名市民，當中16%為煙民，了解市民對禁煙措施的意見。結果顯示，81.6%受訪者贊成向違例煙民實施定額罰款，而受訪煙民中，亦有53.5%贊成建議。受訪者中，逾六成人認為，定額罰款額應在1500元或以上。

另外，81.4%受訪者贊成將禁煙範圍擴大至室外地方，包括所有巴士站及輪候公共交通工具的地方，只要有兩個人以上排隊，都要禁止吸煙，至於受訪的吸煙人士當中，亦有60.5％贊成擴大禁煙範圍至室外。

執法方面，近八成人認為監管法定禁煙區的政府部門指定職員，包括食環署、康樂及文化事務署職員，亦應獲授權執行定額罰款。

鄭家富倡設戒煙基金

負責調查的民主黨兼立法會吸煙修訂條例草案委員會主席鄭家富建議，政府應注資1000萬元設立戒煙基金，支援有意戒煙人士，以及將罰款用作提供戒煙服務。他指會在今天的吸煙修訂條例草案委員會上，提交是次調查結果，供政府官員及議員參考。

From news.gov.hk:
Cigarette tar, nicotine yields fall (http://news.gov.hk/en/category/healthandcommunity/060413/html/060413en05007.htm)

Yeah, and the Philippines-alot of smokers
No offense but America has about 6x more than Philippines :D

Lawmakers seek swifter start to fines for smoking
11 April 2006
South China Morning Post

Lawmakers yesterday called for early introduction of a fixed penalty for smoking in non-smoking areas, which the government said could be introduced in 2008.

Deputy health director Leung Ting-hung told a meeting of the Legislative Council's bills committee on the Smoking (Public Health) (Amendment) Bill 2005 that it would take 12 to 15 months for the government to put the subsidiary legislation in place, while 18 to 24 months would be required to establish a computer program for the penalty system.

But most lawmakers said it was "too long and unreasonable" to take more than a year to put the new fines into effect.

"It's impossible to use such a long time to set up the computer network {hellip} we can just apply the same one we had for the littering penalty system," Liberal Party chairman James Tien Pei-chun said. But Dr Leung said time was needed to write a new program and for a trial run of the system.

Deputy Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan said the government would investigate whether the penalty system could start earlier.

According to the proposal submitted by the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau to the Legislative Council early this month, smoking in non-smoking areas would instantly incur a fine of $1,500.

The proposal, part of the government's proposed bill to ban smoking in restaurants, bars and karaoke lounges, gained support from many legislators, including the Democrats, the Liberals and the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong.

The legislators also questioned whether the government had enough manpower to implement the penalty system. They said that as well as Tobacco Control Office inspectors and the police, staff from other departments such as the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department should be empowered to issue fines.

Democrat Martin Lee Chu-ming suggested the government set up a hotline for people to report smokers who violated the law. Currently, smokers are usually fined $500 to $600 if they are brought before a court and convicted.

Legco may draw line in sand on beach smoke ban
Chester Yung
Hong Kong Standard
Friday, June 23, 2006

The Legislative Council is about to draw a line in the sand on the smoking ban after the government said it might extend the ban to public transport interchanges, parks and beaches.

At a Legco Bills Committee meeting Thursday, some legislators said this time the ban might be going too far.

"The beach is an open space with a sea breeze," said Liberal Party member Vincent Fang Kang. "Banning smoking on public beaches is unreasonable."

Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong lawmaker Wong Ting-kwong weighed in on the argument by asking: "How do you define a ban on a public beach? The beach is a huge space. Will the area covered by seawater also come under the ban?"

Deputy Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan said the area covered by water is considered part of the beach and smoking should be banned there, although she said she did not think many people will smoke in the water.

In supporting the ban, medical sector legislator Kwok Ka-ki said "this limitation only applies to some 40 gazetted beaches, it doesn't cover all beaches in Hong Kong. Smokers still can go to other beaches. They still have a lot of room to smoke," he said.

Meanwhile, Ocean Park has proposed banning smoking throughout the establishment except for four designated smoking areas.

Kwok said the the proposal is inadequate as many nonsmokers can walk through the four zones.

"One should bear in mind that the objective of the legislation is to protect nonsmokers," he said.

The Smoking (Public Health) (Amendment) Bill, expected to be passed by Legco this summer with a proposed grace period extended until mid-2009, will implement an indoor smoking ban in the territory.

Exemptions are likely to be granted to prison cells and the 12 smoking rooms in the passenger terminal at Hong Kong International Airport.

"It's unrealistic for officers to take prisoners to an open area every time they feel like smoking," an official said.

Chicago has a smoking ban in anything indoor and maybe in the future, the beach too, in Chicago. Business, especially from Chicago chinatown from the first week of the ban, lost many customers. But, now, the smokers are use to it. Smokers smoke outside, while indoors are cleaner in the air quality. The Businesses are doing the same or even better after the smoking ban.

I saw this would be good for Hong Kong. But, people have to be use to this new ban.

HK 'at cutting edge' of tobacco control
City's anti-smoking efforts win high praise from WHO official
Mary Ann Benitez in Auckland
21 September 2006
South China Morning Post

Hong Kong will be a model for the Western Pacific region if it bans misleading terms on cigarette packets in a further step to control tobacco, a WHO regional official said yesterday.

"The Hong Kong government is at the cutting edge of tobacco control," said Burke Fishburn, a scientist and co-ordinator of the Tobacco Free Initiative at the World Health Organisation's Western Pacific office.

"We know the Hong Kong government has the public interest at heart and we hope for success. If it is successful, it will provide yet another model for our region. What Hong Kong is doing by trying to ban these misleading terms is cutting-edge."

Mr Fishburn said that while Philip Morris had volunteered to drop terms like "light" for its cigarette brands in the city, "bans on misleading terms, bans on advertising and promotion should not be voluntary, they should be legislated".

"We know that voluntary restrictions do not work," he said. "The tobacco industry is noted as potential saboteurs of tobacco control and we need to be very sceptical, very cynical about what the tobacco industry wants to do about tobacco control."

Chronic non-communicable diseases were the top killers of Chinese, accounting for about 80 per cent of total deaths, rising from 73.8 per cent in 1991 to 80.9 per cent in 2000.

Tobacco use was responsible for a large percentage of these deaths, Mr Fishburn said.

Robert Beaglehole, director of the WHO Department of Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion at its Geneva headquarters, said the pandemic of non-communicable diseases had the potential to overwhelm countries' health systems.

"Lifestyle, tobacco use and physical activities are extremely important and making sure that our children grow up in an environment in which it is normal to eat fruit and vegetables and it is abnormal to drink sweetened drinks and snack foods," he said.

At the conference, Thomas Tsang Ho-fai, a consultant at the Centre for Health Protection of Hong Kong's Department of Health, said there was increasing obesity among schoolchildren, and so the government aimed to create a conducive environment for healthy eating.

Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food York Chow Yat-ngok said earlier this week on the sidelines of the conference that the administration intended to present the amended anti-smoking legislation for second and third readings at the Legislative Council next month.

"We are not just banning indoor smoking - legislators want to expand it to areas where there will be substantial numbers of people together like transport interchanges, some public parks, sports facilities and beaches," he said.

Smoking ban set for start
Caroline Kim
Hong Kong Standard
Thursday, October 19, 2006

Legislators have overwhelmingly passed the controversial anti-smoking bill banning smoking in all indoor workplaces and restaurants and selected outdoor areas such as parks and beaches after a marathon nine-hour debate.

The vote on the Smoking (Public Health) (Amendment) Bill 2005 - with 52 in favor and two abstentions - paves the way for the ban to come into effect from the start of next year.

The bill, which went through its first and second readings Wednesday, exempts certain places of entertainment such as mahjong parlors, massage houses and nightclubs until July 1, 2009. It will go through its third reading today.

Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food York Chow Yat-ngok shocked lawmakers with a last-minute announcement that the government will, over the next year or two, study the feasibility of allowing smoking rooms at public parks and beaches.

Tommy Cheung Yu-yan, Albert Chan Wai-yip, Andrew Cheng Kar-foo and Kwok Ka-ki introduced further amendments to the bill.

The Democratic Party's Cheng, who has been advocating a complete ban on smoking at outdoor recreational parks, stuck to his original amendment, which prohibits the sale of tobacco products to people in school uniform.

Kwok, the medical sector representative who has also consistently pushed for a total smoking ban in outdoor recreational parks, expressed concern over exposure to secondhand smoke at theme parks such as Ocean Park, despite previous letters from the park's management stating that smoking areas have already been designated throughout the facility.

"More than HK$5.3 billion has already been spent on medical care for people with illnesses related to secondhand smoke, while 14,000 people are dying each year from both smoking and secondhand smoke," Kwok said.

Chow, reiterating his previous stance on Kwok's amendment, said: "The designated smoking areas are places where there are very few visitors."

Kwok, questioning the government's decision to introduce the provision during the last stages of the bill, said: "If you're referring to smoking rooms in restaurants, that means you're taking a regressive step when we have spent over 150 hours already on the bill's review."

Chow said that "although a trial of newly constructed smoking rooms failed to be viable, we'll conduct studies within the next one or two years to seek a feasible ventilation system."

Kwok argued: "The government has imposed the idea of smoking rooms for the sake of industries."

Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades president Simon Wong Ka-wo said: "The catering industry and customers will get used to a total smoking ban in two years. The introduction of smoking rooms is, therefore, totally unnecessary.

"Creating separate smoking rooms could cost up to HK$500,000 each. It is not viable for small traders," Wong said.

Both Chan and Cheung withdrew their amendments to smoking rooms following the government's proposal to conduct a further study on the matter.

"I cannot support this bill because there are just too many loopholes," Chan said.

The government did not support Chan's other amendment for a complete exemption for bars, mahjong parlors and other venues, which have been granted a two-year grace period.

"If we want customers to continue patronizing restaurants and bars, the government needs to invest more in education and publicity," The Frontier's Emily Lau Wai-hing suggested.

Chow said the government would not support an amendment prohibiting smoking in queues at bus stops and transportation interchanges, as proposed by several lawmakers.

Martin Lee Chu-ming, who has been lobbying for an anti-smoking bill for almost a decade, said Hong Kong should learn from the United States, where a health warning was recently issued against secondhand smoke, saying that inhalation of secondhand smoke can increase the risk of contracting heart diseases and lung cancer by up to 30 percent.

Representatives of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions and the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong stressed the importance of individuals' rights, stating that the law should not deprive people of their freedom and choice.

New anti-smoking law passed
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Government Press Release

The Smoking (Public Health) (Amendment) Bill 2005 was passed into law in the Legislative Council today (October 19).

A Government spokesman said that with the passage of the bill, the vast majority of indoor areas of workplaces and public places, such as restaurants, offices, schools, hospitals, markets, karaokes and bars which were frequented by people of different ages were required to ban smoking from January 1, 2007.

The spokesman said six types of "qualified establishments" - nightclubs, commercial bathhouses, massage establishments, mahjong parlours, designated mahjong rooms in clubs and certain bars - may implement the smoking ban by July 1, 2009 the latest.

These establishments, however, had to restrict entry to only those people who were aged 18 and above, comply with other conditions which were set to ensure that they were genuinely in one of these six businesses, and notify the Department of Health during the interim, the spokesman explained.

Within any public pleasure ground under section 107(3) of the Public Health and Municipal Service Ordinance (other than bathing beaches), the smoking ban would not apply to smoking areas to be specified by the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services (DLCS).

The DLCS will ensure that these smoking areas are away from children's playgrounds, sporting grounds or main thoroughfare to minimise the disturbance to other users. The DLCS will consult the respective District Councils in the process of specifying the smoking areas.

Apart from the above mentioned areas, the spokesman said the smoking ban was also to be imposed on certain outdoor areas, including:

*open areas of hospitals (whether public and private);
*open areas of all schools, including university campuses;
*public bathing beaches;
*public swimming pools (pool areas and spectator stands);
*Hong Kong Stadium and Mongkok Stadium (turf pitch areas and spectator stands);
*public transport interchanges;
*Hong Kong Wetland Park; and
*escalators.

Smoking is also prohibited in living accommodation provided by an employer to two or more employees, except private dwellings where employers and employees live together, such as accommodation provided for employees (domestic helpers) within the employer's own residence.

Regarding public transport interchanges, the amendment ordinance will empower the Director of Health to designate as a no smoking area by notice published in the Gazette, the whole or part of any area that consists of the termini of two or more modes of public transport, or of any bus terminus of more than one specified route as defined in the Public Bus Services Ordinances (Cap 230).

Due to prioritisation of resources, this will be implemented at a later stage, after a fixed penalty system for smoking offences have been introduced, the spokesman said.

The amendment ordinance also empowers the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food to have the authority in appointing inspectors to take enforcement actions under the Ordinance.

The new law also removes the statutory requirement for managers to display no smoking signs. Managers of no smoking areas would have the flexibility to decide where and how to post signs or make other arrangements to remind users of the smoking prohibition.

The amendment ordinance prohibits the display of descriptive words on tobacco packets and retail containers which may have misleading or deceptive effect. It also stipulates that health warnings must be displayed on tobacco packets and retail containers. The grace period given to licensed hawkers for display of tobacco advertisement will be extended from one year to three years, that is, up to November 1, 2009, the spokesman added.

Speaking at the resumption debate on the second reading of the bill in the Legislative Council, the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, said Tobacco Control Office (TCO) inspectors would act on reports and complaints and target on strategic "black spots" to enhance inspection and enforcement.

Dr Chow added that upon the enactment of the amendment ordinance, the TCO would launch a series of publicity and public education activities to make known the legislative requirements. Announcements in the Public Interest (APIs) on television and radio will be produced, workshops will be conducted for managers, pamphlets and other educational material will be given out to the general public.

The TCO will also promote its tobacco cessation service. It will continue to work with the Tobacco Control (Smokefree Restaurants) Working Group to publicise the new legislative requirements within the catering industry. The government-funded statutory body, the Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health (COSH), will continue its publicity campaigns to educate the public on the harmful effects of smoking and secondhand smoke.

The bill was introduced into the Legislative Council on May 11, 2005. More than 50 Bills Committee meetings were held, including public hearing sessions attended by a total of over 100 deputations from representatives of the medical sector, youth concern groups, non-government organizations, the catering, entertainment and hospitality industries, licensed newspaper hawkers, tobacco companies, and individuals.

Chow takes flak over smoke room idea
Caroline Kim and Carrie Chan
Hong Kong Standard
Friday, October 20, 2006

Health chief York Chow Yat-ngok has come under heavy fire from pro- democracy lawmakers for the government's "U-turn" on the controversial anti-smoking bill by proposing that smoking rooms be installed in some public areas.

The secretary for health, welfare and food was even accused of harboring political motives - to the extent of trying to win the catering sector's votes in next year's chief executive election.

"The allegations are ridiculous and groundless," Chow retorted, denying that the "U-turn" was politically inspired.

"Definitely not. First of all, we have had no position on smoking rooms for some time. The concept of smoking rooms differs in different sectors. There are people who think that a smoking room is a place where you can smoke, enjoy food as well as other activities," he said Thursday. "The proposal that I have now, [on which] we haven't decided, and that we would like to investigate, is to find a room that might be able to allow people to smoke but would not allow any services or any other activities, something very much like those in the airport. Whether this is technologically and scientifically proven, and also technically feasible, then we have to investigate."

Chow went on to defend the government' stance: "If you look at the banned areas now, a lot of people, in particular smokers, would be forced to smoke on the street. Knowing that Hong Kong is such a densely populated area, we might encounter a lot of smokers in certain areas. If we could allow them to smoke in a confined space rather than disturbing pedestrians and non-smokers, then we would be able to more successfully segregate smokers and non- smokers. So, that is the main reason why we think that we need to look at this problem."

After the bill's passage, Chow told reporters: "We want the public to know that smoking will decline progressively and now is a good time to quit. The passage of the ordinance marks a historical moment and is a step forward for Hong Kong in becoming a smoke-free city."

Catering sector lawmaker Tommy Cheung Yu-yan was accused of conspiring with Chow to support his amendments, which proposed adaptation periods of 90 days for restaurants.

But Cheung repeatedly denied the accusations, insisting he was not under political pressure. Although non- smokers will be able to enjoy smoke- free venues, the law is expected to negatively effect restaurants, the catering industry and karaoke operators, which are expected to be hit hardest, with an expected 20 percent loss in revenue.

But Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades president Simon Wong Ka-wo said: "If the people want it, we will find a way to deal with it."

According to Wong, major restaurant companies have already begun organizing seminars and training frontline employees and executives on how to deal with the new law.

However, Wong said the transition will be most difficult for the city's 5,500 smaller restaurants where blue-collar workers mostly eat, and smoke. Wong also said he feared that law enforcement will not be adequate, even with the recruitment of 30 inspectors by the Tobacco Control Office.

For Anthony Lock Kwok-on, managing director of one of Hong Kong's major karaoke operators, California Red, it is a matter of changing a whole culture. "We will try hard to prepare for the changes but it's more complicated than just replacing ash trays with no smoking signs," he said.

In addition to all indoor areas and workplaces, smoking will not be allowed in outdoor areas at hospitals, universities and public swimming pools.

FEATURE-Smoking ban challenges Chinese traditions in Hong Kong
By James Pomfret

HONG KONG, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Beneath the glare of the mahjong parlour's white fluorescent tubes and roving security cameras, a grizzled, 70-year-old pro clatters his tiles against the table, a cigarette burning slowly between his lips.

"Ban or no ban, it's not going to stop me," Mr. Liu declared, puffing smoke into the air in a parlour crowded with smokers noisily sorting marked tiles into winning combinations as they play the classic Chinese game of mahjong.

After close to a decade of political wrangling and fervent industry opposition, Hong Kong has followed the lead of European countries such as Ireland, and several major U.S. cities, by banning smoking in most public places.

Under the new laws, smoking will be illegal from January 2007 in all indoor workplaces and public venues serving customers of all ages, including restaurants, parks and beaches.

Anti-smoking activists were disappointed the bill was watered down to give an exemption until mid-2009 to some of the worst smoking blackspots catering to adults over 18 such as bars, saunas, nightclubs and mahjong parlours.

But they said the bill still made Hong Kong a "frontrunner" in Asia for anti-smoking laws and set an example for China, which has more smokers than any other country on earth.

"When you talk about 350 million smokers in China, I'm sure the Chinese authorities are quite worried. So what we're doing in Hong Kong will give them a very nice leverage," said Dr. Homer Tso, chairman of the Council on Smoking and Health.

Tso said it would still take at least 30 to 50 years for China to properly address its smoking problem even though it ratified the World Health Organisation's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control last year.

SMOKERS PARADISE

Hong Kong has long had the image of a smokers' paradise where its highly driven work force, members of criminal gangs or triads, and local celebrities lit up to escape the pressure-cooker stresses of the fast-paced, densely populated city.

According to Hong Kong government statistics, there were 793,000 daily smokers in the city of 6.9 million last year, some 14 percent of the population.

Whilst not particularly high compared to places like France, Japan or China, Hong Kong's total health-related costs from active and passive smoking have been estimated by the University of Hong Kong at HK$5.3 billion ($681 million) per year.

Tso, who has pursued this anti-smoking bill with almost missionary zeal since 2001 when it was put forward, said he was confident the legislation would change Hong Kong's smoking culture.

"I think Hong Kong people have a consensus, Hong Kong people are aware of the harm of tobacco and they have expressed it, so hopefully ... this will be resonated through the legislation," he said.

Stringent anti-smoking bans in Europe and the United States have been making their way to Asia in recent years since Ireland passed the world's first nationwide smoking ban in pubs, restaurants and workplaces in 2004.

Singapore bans smoking in public transport, theatres, government offices, open-air food halls, air-conditioned restaurants and shopping centres as well as queues of more than two people, such as at taxi stands.

It requires gruesome photographs of people dying of lung cancer, diseased lungs and decayed teeth to be emblazoned across cigarette packets along with severe health warnings.

The tiny Himalayan country of Bhutan bans sale of tobacco products as part of stringent anti-smoking laws as it seeks to become the world's first non-smoking country.

SMOKERS ALARMED

In Hong Kong, the catering industry fought hard against the proposed bill citing heavy reliance on patronage from smokers.

It has warned of heavy layoffs and closures of establishments, especially once the 30-month grace period for bars, karaokes and mahjong parlours wears off.

The government is now considering allowing "smoking rooms" in public venues such as restaurants using independent ventilation systems.

Anti-smoking groups and legislators criticised this as a way for leisure premises to sidestep the eventual ban in mid-2009.

But the government, which had previously expressed reservations about such a move, said the smoking room proposal was just an idea, needing further legislative approval. It added that such rooms might prevent the possibility of greater numbers of smokers spilling onto Hong Kong's crowded streets.

"We all know that a lot of passageways and streets have a lot of smokers standing around smoking. Next year there could be even more," said Health Secretary York Chow during the legislative hearing last week when the bill was passed.

"We want the public to be healthy and the number of smokers to decline, but every society must go through this in phases. We can't do it in one go," he said.

From news.gov.hk:
Anti-smoking law passed (http://news.gov.hk/en/category/healthandcommunity/061019/html/061019en05006.htm)

200-plus eateries join smoke-free day (http://news.gov.hk/en/category/healthandcommunity/061023/html/061023en05003.htm)

Smokers feeling the heat
Caroline Kim
Hong Kong Standard
Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Hundreds of thousands of smokers are now more willing to quit the habit following last week's passage of the anti- smoking bill into law, according to a Hong Kong University survey.

The poll, conducted by the university's Public Opinion Program, found that more than half of the territory's smokers - about 400,000 people - want to quit, with smoking due to be banned in most public places from January 1 next year.

The results of the survey were released amid preparations for the "Smoke-Free Restaurants Open Day" campaign, which will promote a smoke- free environment in outlets ranging from fast-food shops to Chinese restaurants.

Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Hong Kong education director William Chui Chun-ming believes healthy smokers are now more determined to give up the habit.

"Others may want to quit to avoid the risk of being fined," Chui said, referring to the increased maximum penalty of HK$5,000.

According to the "Roadblocks in Smoking Cessation"survey, 40 percent of 500 respondents had failed in their attempts to quit smoking, while 20 percent had failed five times.

"The smoking bill is already having a positive effect on public health," Chui said.

For smokers with less willpower to quit, the Department of Health recently approved one of the most widely used cessation methods in the world - Nicotine Replacement Therapy - as the new approach for quitting.

According to Chui, NRT, which involves replacing cigarettes with chewing gum such as "Nicorette" and "Nicotinelle," has been proven to work well, even decreasing cigarette consumption by half.

"We hope the cessation method will work just as effectively in Hong Kong as it has in other countries like the United Kingdom, Sweden, Denmark and Malaysia," he said.

A clinical study of 411 smokers using the NRT approach found that the success rate to quit smoking was twice the rate of the placebo group.

For heavy smokers who have been addicted for many years, Chui recommends purchasing inhalation kits, which resemble cigarettes containing the same ingredients found in "Nicorette" chewing gum, to keep cravings and withdrawal symptoms under control.

"It's the first step in smoking control in Hong Kong," Chui said, adding that more funds should be invested in cessation programs and public education instead of smoking rooms.

"We're most concerned about public health," he said, reiterating the fact that almost 7,000 people die from smoking-related diseases in Hong Kong each year.

Four individuals, representing more than 70 percent of the restaurant, catering and karaoke industries, echoed the same concern Monday when they joined Deputy Director of Health Leung Ting-hung for the initiation of the "Smoke-Free Restaurants Open Day" campaign, during which more than 200 of the territory's restaurants will display posters and no-smoking signs to help educate the public, and allow the industry to adapt to changes before the smoking ban comes into effect.

"A survey conducted earlier this year found that 80 percent of the population claimed they would patronize restaurants more if a smoking ban is implemented," said Chui, emphasizing that 800 of Hong Kong's restaurants are already smoke free.

Leung said: "Law enforcement will rely heavily on restaurant managers and owners, as well as our law-abiding citizens." Deploying more manpower from the Tobacco Control Office will not make the law more effective, Leung added.

Besides organizing activities and sponsoring events on the health risks associated with smoking, the Smoke- free Restaurants Working Group, which is co-chaired by Leung and Anthony Lock Kwok-on, will be held on the 29th of each month from October to December as a public reminder of the law's enforcement in January.

The working group has trained more than 600 employees on how to deal with unforeseen situations involving opposition from smokers in complying with the law.

However, Lock said only 10 percent of all restaurants and karaokes have pledged to join the campaign. "It's unsatisfactory," he said.

From December, leading karaoke operator Neway Karaoke Box will prohibit employees from smoking during working hours on company premises.

"Although there would be some adverse effects on our business in the short run, we believe such effects would be reduced to a minimum once the customers get used to a smoke-free environment. So, it's just a matter of time," a company spokesman said.

Thank goodness. I hate the smell of cigarette smoke in restaurants. The air quality in HK is not good as it is and then you go into a restaurant and it's pretty bad.

FACTBOX-Smoking bans around the world

Oct 19 (Reuters) - Hong Kong legislators on Thursday passed a ban on smoking in all indoor workplaces, as well as restaurants, parks and beaches starting from Jan. 1 next year.

Ireland imposed the world's first nationwide ban on smoking in the workplace in 2004. U.S. states, including Florida and California, have had similar bans since 2003. In November 2004, Bhutan became the first country in the world to ban tobacco sales completely.

Here is a factbox on other countries which have banned smoking in some form in 2006.

2006:

* January - Spain bans smoking in offices, hospitals, schools and enclosed spaces.

* March - Puerto Rico signs into law a ban on smoking in enclosed public places from March 2007.

* March - Uruguay bans smoking in public spaces, the stiffest restrictions on smoking in Latin America.

* March - A ban on smoking in all enclosed public places takes effect in Scotland. England will impose a similar ban from mid-2007 and Wales and Northern Ireland from April 2007.

* April - Portugal proposes limits on smoking, including a ban in workplaces, restaurants, shopping centres and on public transport which if agreed will go into effect in 2007.

* May - A Kenyan court suspends a government order banning smoking in public after a legal challenge from the Kenyan unit of British American Tobacco and a local manufacturer.

* June - Nepal announces plans to ban smoking in public places and tobacco advertisements in newspapers. The ban will apply to government offices, hospitals, schools and public transport, among others.

* September - In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives signal they will not back efforts to introduce a smoking ban in restaurants, cafes and bars.

* October - The smoky bars and cafes of Argentina's capital, Buenos Aires, start a smoking ban. The new ban prohibits lighting up in public spaces smaller than 100 square metres.

* October - France says it will ban smoking in most public places from Feb. 1, 2007, and in bars, restaurants, hotels and night clubs from Jan. 1, 2008.

* October - Hong Kong passes a ban on smoking in all indoor workplaces, as well as restaurants, parks and beaches starting from Jan. 1, 2007. However bars, saunas, nightclubs and mahjong parlours, serving people aged over 18, will be exempted from the ban till mid-2009.

From news.gov.hk:
Anti-smoking campaign to launch (http://news.gov.hk/en/category/healthandcommunity/061026/html/061026en05009.htm)

RTHK news:
200 Hong Kong eateries take part in smoking ban trial 2006-10-29 HKT 18:11

About 200 eateries have been taking part in a trial scheme to ban smoking on their premises for one day every month. The scheme stipulates that each 29th day of the month should be designated a "no-smoking day" until the government ban comes into force next year. The restaurateurs say they hope the scheme will help customers and staff prepare for the permanent ban.

Airport to snuff out smoking in restaurants
Number of rooms for smokers by boarding gates to be cut
29 October 2006
South China Morning Post

Smoking rooms in all restaurants at Hong Kong's airport will be closed when a law curbing smoking takes effect on January 1. The move is at the initiative of the Airport Authority, not a requirement under the law.

Managers also plan to reduce the number of standalone smoking rooms at the Chek Lap Kok facility from 12 to 10.

The move comes less than two weeks after Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food York Chow Yat-ngok shocked the public health sector by announcing that the government would study the feasibility of introducing smoking rooms across Hong Kong.

Critics said the Airport Authority's measures were not strong enough. Anti-smoking activists welcomed the move as a step in the right direction, but urged the airport to fall in line with the blanket ban on smoking in indoor public places to take effect on January 1.

An airport authority spokeswoman said: "There are three restaurants in the passenger terminal building that have a smoking room. Effective from next year, no smoking areas will be allowed in restaurants at the airport." The three restaurants are Champions Bar and Wildfire, located in the passenger terminal's East Hall extension, and Katie O'Connor's in the arrivals hall.

Under current law, the airport authority has the power to designate smoking areas. The terminal is considered a smoke-free zone with the exception of the 12 smoking rooms, 10 built shortly after the airport opened in 1998 and two added later.

Most of the rooms are in restricted areas where passengers await flights. The authority has taken the initiative to close down by next year the two smoking rooms that are in non-restricted areas.

Like the smoking rooms the government has promised to consider introducing across Hong Kong, these are not connected to any restaurant or bar. An airport spokeswoman said that when the new law takes effect, the authority will retain control of the airport terminals.

Medical sector legislator Kwok Ka-ki said that in Legislative Council committee meetings last year to discuss the recently passed law, legislators had asked the government to rescind the health authority's power to introduce smoking rooms.

However, they were turned down on the grounds that it was difficult to enforce security in an outdoor area.

Dr Kwok said he would continue urging a total ban on smoking in all indoor public facilities.

Homer Tso Wei-kwok, chairman of the Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health, said: "There are arrangements in other international airports where they actually have an outdoor area that is secured so that people can go outside and smoke."

He said San Francisco Airport in the US not only bans smoking in all public areas in the terminal, but also in many public kerbside areas directly outside. Brisbane Airport in Australia provides an external balcony for smokers to light up, but prohibits smoking inside.

Dr Tso welcomed the airport's initiative, but said more needed to be done. "It's not a satisfactory arrangement. We would like to see them gone, period."

逢29日辦開放日 生意未受影響
無煙食肆煙民也支持
30/10/2006
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http://the-sun.orisun.com/channels/news/20061030/img/sn05103002_big.jpg

【本報訊】為令食肆員工及顧客提早適應明年一月實施的食肆全面禁煙新例，逾二百間食肆昨日參加連續三個月、逢每月二十九日舉行的「無煙食肆開放日」，全面禁煙一天。有參與活動的食肆昨日生意與平常周日無異，有「煙民食客」亦支持有關活動，認為吸煙人士不應影響非吸煙者，而生署副署長梁挺雄強調，成功實施禁煙需要市民、食肆負責人及政府合作。

「無煙食肆開放日」由生署及控煙 （ 無煙食肆 ） 工作小組舉辦，參與昨日活動的單位主要為大型連鎖食肆及卡拉OK，惟旺角區大部分獨立茶餐廳均未有響應，有茶餐廳負責人擔心全面禁煙會影響生意，因此禁煙「大限」前不會參與開放日活動，避免提早流失客人。

控煙 （ 無煙食肆 ） 工作小組主席駱國安稱，目前業內對推行禁煙不太積極，可能是憂慮顧客反應，但小組會加強宣傳及游說，希望未來兩次開放日有更多食肆參與。梁挺雄表示，禁煙條例生效後，控煙辦公室會增加人手加強宣傳及在黑點執法。

「風之后」派傳單
佩戴「食肆無煙大使」襟章的員工昨在顧客進場前會先表明該食肆禁煙一天，店內亦貼上海報，提醒顧客不能吸煙，梁挺雄及無煙大使「風之后」李麗珊等人則在旺角一酒樓向食客派發宣傳單張。該酒樓經理黃先生指，吸煙顧客一般願意合作，接受員工勸喻，未有發生不愉快事件，而機場管理局計劃明年一月取消赤角機場內兩個位於非禁區的吸煙房，其餘十間禁區內的吸煙房暫會保留。

Eateries fear smoking losses
Hong Kong Standard
Wendy Leung
Monday, October 30, 2006

Restaurants and entertainment establishments are likely to see a 20 percent drop in business in the first six months after the anti-smoking law comes into force next year, according to a restaurant and karaoke operator.

Launching a "Smoke-Free Restaurant Open Day" campaign Sunday, Anthony Lock Kwok-on, managing director of California Red, expressed concern at the potential economic losses arising from the smoking ban that will come into effect on January 1. However, some entertainment venues have until July 2009 to implement the ban.

"We need to change our operational strategy. The whole industry is under pressure," said Lock, who is also chairman of the Smoke-Free Restaurant Working Group.

However, he expects business to start picking up again by next summer after a six-month transitional period.

About 200 restaurants joined the first of the smoke-free open days.

The government and three catering and entertainment groups, representing 70 percent of the industry, will hold smoke-free open days again November 29 and December 29 to promote the new law to the public.

The Department of Health will train 400 "smoke-free" ambassadors to help restaurants convince their clients not to light up in restaurants, Deputy Director of Health Leung Ting-hung said.

Seminars will also be organized to spread the "quit smoking" message to the people, he added.

Leung said success in implementing the smoking ban would depend on the public's self-discipline, the determination of restaurant managers and the working group.

Cheer Restaurant, which is part of the Tao Heung restaurant group, said all its 39 outlets across the territory have been smoke-free since August.

Restaurant manager Simon Wong said he does not expect any difficulties in executing the anti-smoking law.

"Initially, we thought it would be difficult, but later we found our clients are quite cooperative, and they already know we're a smoke-free restaurant because we have been putting up posters outside," Wong said. Staff are also feeling the benefit, he added.

Number of female smokers soars 45pc
Academic points to social change and tobacco firms' marketing strategies for the alarming increase
30 October 2006
South China Morning Post

The number of female smokers in Hong Kong has soared 45 per cent in the past eight years even though the total number of smokers in the city dropped slightly in the same period, government figures show.

According to the Census and Statistics Department, the number of female smokers jumped from 78,800 in 1998 to 114,300 last year, while the total male smoking population decreased by 6 per cent from 726,300 to 678,900.

In eight years, there were 35,500 more female smokers compared with 47,400 fewer male smokers.

The department's figures showed that the number of male smokers over 15 years of age fell from 27.1 per cent of the total population in that age group in 1998, to 24.5 per cent last year. But the corresponding figure for female smokers rose from 2.9 per cent to 4 per cent in the same period.

The female smoking population showed increases in four similar surveys over the same period.

The total daily smoking population - male and female - also fell 15 per cent from 805,100 in 1998 to 793,200 last year.

One woman, a Ms Yip, in her 20s, said she had been smoking for about a year mainly for social reasons.

"Many of my girlfriends smoke too. There's nothing special."

Another smoker in her 20s, Sammie Leung, said she thought smoking was a norm in pubs. "Clubbing will become less fun if smoking is banned, although I agree that an anti-smoking law is good for society."

Explaining the reason for the rise, Dennis Wong Sing-wing, an associate professor of social science at City University, said women's role in society had changed a great deal over the past few decades and they sought an equal position with men.

"They think what men can do, women should also be able to do," he said.

Smoking was usually portrayed as a masculine habit, he said, adding that early cigarette advertisements often featured cowboys smoking in the wild.

"However, sometimes when women copy men to gain a breakthrough in their traditional social status, they even copy men's socially deviant behaviour, including smoking," Dr Wong said.

And it was not limited to smoking - the number of violent crimes committed by women has increased over the years, he said.

Dr Wong also blamed tobacco firms' new marketing strategies aimed at women.

He pointed to the slimmer cigarettes, feminine packaging and the sales pitch that women can smoke "stylishly". And women have not been deterred by warnings that smoking can damage one's skin, Dr Wong said. "They can always use makeup to cover any blemishes."

Meanwhile, there is also growing concern over the number of young people taking up the habit.

Last year, there were 15,700 smokers between 15 and 19, 33 per cent more than the 11,800 smokers of the same age range in 1998.

The city's young smoking population has been declining from a peak of 20,600 in 2000.

Gov't Press Release:
LCQ18: Study the feasibility of installing smoking rooms (http://info.gov.hk/gia/general/200611/01/P200611010179.htm)

Gov't Press Release:
Second Open Day to promote smoke-free environment in restaurants (http://info.gov.hk/gia/general/200611/29/P200611290207.htm)

Smoking ban in Victoria Park, but not at some smaller ones
3 December 2006
South China Morning Post

Victoria Park in Causeway Bay, one of Hong Kong's most popular parks, will go completely smoke-free from January 1, when new curbs on smoking take effect.

The revised law allows smoking zones in big parks, but limits them to 1 per cent of a park's area.

The Leisure and Cultural Services Department had proposed designating three smoking areas - at open-air pavilions at the northern and southern ends, and at an open space bordering on Victoria Park Road.

The three areas listed in the department's proposal for the 186,860-square-metre Victoria Park cover just 676 square metres, or 0.36 per cent, of the park's area.

But Eastern District Council has rejected the proposal, making the district the first to commit itself to a ban on smoking in all parks and gardens.

There are 94 parks in the district.

"We feel that unless we create a level playing field for all the parks, there would be a lot of disputes in the future," Eastern District councillor Kong Tza-wing said.

"Also, people go to parks because they want fresh air and to relax. If we allowed smoking there, then the non-smoking majority may have to breathe secondhand smoke."

Hong Kong Park and Chater Garden in Central, and Kowloon Park in Tsim Sha Tsui, are also expected to become smoke-free when the district councils that run them meet this month to discuss smoking bans.

Stephen Chan Chit-kwai, chairman of Central and Western District Council's culture, leisure and social affairs committee, said: "Whenever you have a park, there are most likely children playing there and of course that's why we want the air to be cleaner."

But while major parks will be smoke-free when the law takes effect, smoking may still be allowed in most others.

In Wan Chai, only 32 of 83 parks will be smoke-free, and in Kwun Tong just 11 of 100.

At Southorn Playground in Wan Chai, 88 square metres, or exactly 1 per cent of the 8,800-square-metre park, will be set aside for smokers' enjoyment.

Under the bill passed by the Legislative Council in October 19, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department director can, in consultation with councils, designate parks where smoking is allowed.

The law bans smoking in parks and gardens with "active facilities", such as sporting or children's play areas and with an area smaller than 2,000 square metres.

But the department can recommend that smaller parks without such "active facilities" be exempt from the ban.

Departmental officials said they were unable to say how many of the 1,500 parks and gardens fall into each category.

From news.gov.hk:
Smoking ban set for leisure venues (http://news.gov.hk/en/category/healthandcommunity/061229/html/061229en05006.htm)

Enforce now! :okay:
RTHK news:
HK's smoking ban now in force 2007-01-01 HKT 07:23

A ban in smoking has come into force in Hong Kong. The ban covers many indoor spaces open to the public, such as restaurants and work places. It also covers beaches, swimming pools and most areas of public parks. Anyone caught breaking the smoking ban faces a maximum fine of HK$5,000.


People mainly seen to be adhering to HK's new smoking laws 2007-01-01 HKT 11:35

With the introduction of Hong Kong's new anti-smoking legislation, which came into force at midnight, the Tobacco Control Office has been carrying out inspections at so-called smoking "hot spots." The new ban on smoking covers many indoor spaces open to the public, such as restaurants and work places - and outdoor areas such as beaches and public parks. Anyone caught smoking in these areas faces a maximum fine of 5-thousand dollars. However, most people seem to be adhering to the ban, and no summonses had to be issued. At local parks, people have been seen smoking only within the designated smoking zones. Wan Chai restaurant owners said they had been preparing for the ban and had put away the ash trays.

RTHK news:
COSH (Council on Smoking and Health) chairman called for higher tobacco tax (http://www.rthk.org.hk/rthk/news/elocal/news.htm?elocal&20070102&56&368566)

Quit Smoking International set up a network for HK! :okay:
IQS Hong Kong's Website (http://iqshongkong.com/)

我想這個是一個好辦法吧。 good :)

RTHK news:
Fixed penalty system for smoking ban proposed 2007-01-06 HKT 12:13

The Tobacco Control Office has proposed the introduction of a fixed penalty system to allow its officers to issue tickets on the spot to smokers who defy a new smoking ban. An anti-smoking law came into effect on January 1st banning smoking in public places such as restuarants, bars, swimming pools and parks. A Deputy Director of Health, Leung Ting-hung, said the proposal would allow immediate enforcement of the law instead of having to go through the courts. He said the system would take at least 18 months to be put in place.

Doctors face surge as smokers quit Increasing number of patients seek help to beat nicotine habit
6 February 2007
South China Morning Post

A growing number of doctors have sought information on how to help their patients quit smoking since the ban on lighting up in public places took effect on January 1.

The head of the community medicine department at the University of Hong Kong, Lam Tai-hing, said interest by the public was also increasing, with calls to four university-run quit-smoking hotlines soaring 200 per cent in the past month.

Attendance at a seminar for doctors yesterday reflected the growing demands on the medical profession, said Dr Lam, who was a speaker at the seminar.

"Nearly two years ago, I gave a similar lecture on the same topic, which was attended by only about 20 doctors. But this time, more than 200 doctors joined and some were denied entry because they registered too late," he said.

"It shows that doctors are more eager to help patients quit smoking, probably because the demand for smoking cessation services has surged under the new smoking ban."

The Medical Association, the Tobacco Control Office and the university co-organised the seminar.

Louis Shih Tai-cho, vice-president of the Medical Association, also said members had dealt with more inquiries about how to quit smoking, such as the use of nicotine replacement therapy.

The association, however, wanted doctors to take it a step further by asking patients about their history of smoking or exposure to second-hand smoke.

"It costs so little, but can work so effectively," Dr Shih said.

Dr Lam also called on the government to increase the tobacco tax. "It is the best way to deter people, especially young people, from smoking," he said.

He also suggested that all cigarette packs contained a quit-smoking hotline.

Tang Kwai-chuen, who smoked for about 40 years, quit with the help of a Department of Health clinic two years ago. He said determination was crucial in kicking the habit.

"I used to consume two packs of cigarettes a day, but I realised that my health was getting worse and worse. I tried to quit smoking by going cold turkey several times, but I always failed. So one day, I decided to seek professional help," the 64-year-old said.

Under the new ban, smoking is prohibited in all indoor workplaces, restaurants and karaoke lounges.

From news.gov.hk:
Public housing smoking ban to be extended (http://news.gov.hk/en/category/healthandcommunity/070223/html/070223en05010.htm)

Gov't Press Release:
Smoking strictly prohibited in public housing estates (http://info.gov.hk/gia/general/200703/05/P200703050146.htm)

公 屋 吸 煙 扣 分 今 年 至 今 累 積 134 宗
2007-05-07 HKT 14:51
RTHK

房 署 表 示 ， 自 去 年 初 至 今 ， 在 屋 鸷 公 眾 地 方 吸 煙 ， 被 扣 分 的 個 案 有 134 宗 ， 四 月 一 日 擴 大 吸 煙 限 制 後 ， 涉 及 非 租 戶 的 違 規 個 案 有 2300 宗 。

房 署 副 署 長 劉 啟 雄 ， 出 席 立 法 會 房 屋 事 務 委 員 會 時 又 表 示 ， 實 施 吸 煙 扣 分 制 後 ， 已 在 百 多 條 屋 鸷 內 ， 設 置 合 共 428 個 指 定 吸 煙 區 。

他 又 說 ， 房 署 會 繼 續 聽 取 有 關 吸 煙 限 制 的 意 見 ， 並 在 扣 分 制 周 年 檢 討 時 ， 再 詳 細 檢 視 措 施 的 成 效 。

i hope singapore implement a ban in pubs and discos too

I hope they implement this ban in game centers/video arcades.

Last week during my short vacation to HK, I went to two places in Kowloon.

The first one was in Kimberly Road. I was playing Drummania V3 when the guy on my right is smoking while playing the guitar game.

The second one was in TST Gold Star in Carnavron road. While I was playing beatmania, the guy behind me was playing "Too Spicy" (gun game from SEGA) with two cigarettes in his mouth and smoking both at the same time.

WTFH is that?!?!?!?:bash: :bash: :bash:

Gawd, I just hope that when I go to Virtual Zone (the one Telford Plaza 2 in Wai Yip Street) this coming Xmas season, I hope that there won't be any lunatic hongers who would dare to spread nicotine and bad breath in front of me.

Someone should enforce the law and implement it properly.

50pc tax hike sought in bid to help smokers quit
Hong Kong Standard
Friday, February 22, 2008

An increase in tobacco tax of up to 50 percent in the upcoming budget speech on Wednesday will help smokers quit the habit, Council on Smoking and Health chairman Homer Tso Wei-kwok said yesterday.

Tso also criticized the government for "seriously lacking" in efforts to help youths aged 15 to 19 - when most smokers pick up the habit - quit.

The tax increment would mean 75 percent of the price for a packet of cigarettes - about HK$30 depending on brands - would be taxed, compared with about half the price now.

The World Health Organization recommends a standard tax of two- thirds of the price.

"Increasing the tax must also go along with increased provision of services to smokers to quit smoking, as it is also necessary to show that the government is not in it for the money, but for the protection of public health," Tso said.

"Increasing the tax is only one method to control smoking, but most importantly [government policy] needs to be consistent.

"There are about 15,700 young smokers locally, yet we only have one youth quitline at Hong Kong University capable of helping 400 people."

He said the service should be readily accessible, through community help channels, not hospitals. Quitting needed to become a popular trend like slimming.

In response, a Department of Health spokeswoman said the government had successfully decreased the smoking rate.

She said the percentage of smokers had fallen from 23 percent in 1982 to 14 percent in 2005 through "gradual and multiple means," including legislation, tobacco taxation, public education and quit-smoking services.

Hong Kong University, meanwhile, surveyed 304 young smokers who phoned its quitline between August 2005 and last September.

Sophia Chan Sin-chee, head of the university's nursing studies department, said young smokers aged between 15 and 19 went through fewer cigarettes per day after smoking was banned in public indoor places in January last year - from 12.2 before the ban to 10.1 after it took effect.

She said the ban marked a change in the general environment "where more important people around [the smokers] urge them to quit smoking, as more smokers themselves urge others to quit also."

Chan said the survey also showed more smokers believed others want them to quit smoking after the start of the ban because 51.9 percent of those interviewed had greater motivation to quit.

Nearly two in five smokers said they received more encouragement to quit from key people around them after the ban, while 42.7 percent said they had less exposure to secondhand smoke.

Chan also said that, since the implementation of the ban, 214 smokers, up 20 percent from before the ban, called the youth quitline.

She added 19.2 percent of smokers said they wanted to quit because of pressure from family and friends.

^^^ I don't smoke and I don't like other people smoke either. If it will be a increase of 50% at once, it is kind of harsh. Increasing incrementally will make more sense.

May be one day smoking will become illegal in HK, similar to chewing gum in Singapore.

Smoking at home `akin to suicide pact'
Hong Kong Standard
Monday, April 14, 2008

Hong Kong's ban on smoking in public places has driven people to light up more often at home, setting off alarm bells over family health.

A study has revealed that 51 percent of 126 smokers interviewed lit up more often at home since the ban came into effect, with 56 percent of those saying the lack of alternative venues was the reason for doing so.

"Despite [the ban], there is a troubling trend of smokers lighting up more at home" said Betty Kwan Ka-mei, head of pressure group Smoke Terminators' Society, which carried out the study with the Hong Kong General Chamber of Pharmacies.

Smoking at home is especially dangerous for non-smokers because second-hand smoke comes direct off the cigarette unfiltered and is much more lethal to the comparatively safer smoke drawn in through filters, Kwan said.

"Smoking at home is akin to putting one's family through a charcoal- burning suicide mission," she said.

One hour of exposure to secondhand smoke in an unventilated room is equivalent to smoking an entire pack of filtered cigarettes - or shortening one's life span by seven minutes, she added.

The study found that the kitchen is the most popular room for smokers at home, with 42 percent of people lighting up there.

The washroom is second at 35 percent, followed by the bedroom and balcony at 13 percent and 10 percent, respectively.

Chamber president Lau Oi-kwok dispelled the notion that smoking beside a fan or in a ventilated room is safe.

"It's not effective. Even if your exhaust fan ventilates, smoking pollutants are still present. Second-hand smoke still lingers in the bathroom or kitchen." According to Lau, smoke that does get out finds its way into the next apartment.

The survey revealed that 89 percent are concerned about the effects second- hand smoke is having on their children.

Of 71 percent who had failed to quit, 84 percent blamed weak willpower, while 11 percent blamed ineffectual anti-smoking aids.

One place they should really ban smoking are the game centres. Once I get out of one I smell cigarette :(

The biggest smoking hotspots are the mahjong parlours and saunas.

LCQ12: Smoking ban
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Government Press Release

Following is a question by the Hon David Li and a written reply by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council today (May 7):

Question:

I have observed that "no smoking" signs are posted along a privately-managed elevated outdoor covered walkway in Central District, which is open for use by the public, while the connecting public elevated outdoor covered walkway does not have such signs posted. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the existing statutory provisions under which the owner concerned is authorised to post the above "no smoking" signs, and whether statutory prohibition against smoking is enforceable along the privately-managed walkway concerned; and

(2) whether it has assessed if the relevant statutory provisions allow public elevated outdoor covered walkways to be declared no smoking areas; if the assessment outcome indicates that they are allowed to be so declared, whether the Government will make such declarations; if the assessment outcome indicates that the prohibition is neither enforceable nor applicable to all elevated outdoor covered walkways, whether the Government will consider amending the relevant ordinance(s) to effect such a prohibition?

Reply:

Madam President,

My reply to the question raised by the Hon David Li is as follows:

(1) Under section 3(1) and Part 1 of Schedule 2 to the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance (Cap. 371), an indoor area in a workplace or public place is a designated no-smoking area. The definition of "indoor" under the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance is defined to mean -

(a) having a ceiling or roof, or a cover that functions (whether temporarily or permanently) as a ceiling or roof; and

(b) enclosed (whether temporarily or permanently) at least up to 50% of the total area on all sides, except for any window or door, or any closeable opening that functions as a window or door.

The smoking ban is equally applicable to such areas whether within privately-owned or government-owned premises. Although there is no legal requirement that managers of statutory no-smoking areas place no-smoking signs therein, managers of premises are free to place "no-smoking" signs in premises under their management. Managers of private premises that are not statutory no-smoking areas may also designate some areas as no-smoking to provide a better environment to all users. We also encourage these premise managers to display no-smoking signs in designated no-smoking areas.

As an example, the footbridge connecting Chater House and Jardine House, as well as the one connecting Prince’s Building and Landmark are both indoors according to the definition above. It should be noted that within a designated no-smoking area where smoking is prohibited, the smoking ban is enforceable regardless of whether a no-smoking sign is displayed. If managers have doubts over whether an area is subject to the statutory smoking ban under the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance, they could seek assistance from the Tobacco Control Office (TCO) of the Department of Health.

(2) The smoking ban was extended to cover a vast expanse of venues since January 1, 2007. Implementation of the smoking ban in all designated no-smoking areas has so far been generally smooth and successful. Since January 1, 2007, TCO has issued two summonses in relation to smoking offences on indoor footbridges while on the whole, TCO has issued a total of 5,494 summonses to smoking offenders. The success is attributable to the public support for the new law, including smokers and non-smokers. This is an achievement which has been made after years of social discourse and public education. The present coverage of designated no-smoking areas has gained wide support from the public as well as Legislative Council members after detailed and thorough discussions.

As the amendments to the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance has only come into force for slightly over a year, we consider it prudent to assess the need and merits of further expanding the scope of no-smoking areas after a more comprehensive assessment of the full effect of the smoking ban. In the meantime, the Administration is working with the Legislative Council on fixed penalty against breaches of the Ordinance. When this new measure takes effect, there will be a stronger deterrent effect of the smoking ban. We will also continue to strengthen our tobacco control regime through a wide range of complementary measures including law enforcement, publicity, education and encouragement to cease smoking.

How much tax revenue does the government get from tobacco products?

LCQ12: Violation of smoking ban
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Government Press Release

Following is a question by the Hon Albert Chan and a written reply by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council today (June 18):

Question:

Since the end of June 2003, the fixed penalty for public cleanliness offences has been raised to $1,500, and with effect from January 1, 2007, the coverage of statutory no smoking areas is expanded, and smoking offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $5,000 upon conviction. It has been learnt that, since the implementation of the relevant legislation, many members of the public who committed the above offences had been detained for not being able to pay the fines, causing tremendous disturbances to their state of mind and daily life. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) in each month since the implementation of the relevant ordinances, of the respective numbers of cases in which fixed penalty notices were issued to persons for littering and summons were issued to persons for smoking in statutory no smoking areas, together with a breakdown of illegal smoking cases by the penalty imposed;

(b) among the cases referred to in (a), of the number of those in which the offenders concerned were unable to pay the fines; and

(c) whether the Government will consider amending the relevant legislation to replace the above fines with community service orders, so as to avoid detention of low-income people because they are unable to pay the fines; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

Madam President,

My reply to the question raised by Hon Albert Chan is as follows:

(a) and (b) Since the end of June 2003 when the fixed penalty for public cleanliness offences has been raised to $1,500 till end of March this year, the number of fixed penalty tickets issued in relation to littering by the seven government departments as well as the number of cases therein in which the fixed penalty has not been paid leading to the issuance of summonses or court orders are listed as shown in Annex 1.

On the other hand, since January 1, 2007, the number of summonses issued by the Tobacco Control Office (TCO) of the Department of Health and the Police Force is listed at Annex 2, on a monthly basis.

The penalty for the 6,635 cases of smoking offence imposed by the court is shown in Annex 3.

As at June 12, 2008, there were 226 cases left unsettled with due date expired.

(c) Legally speaking, community service order is a more serious penalty than penalty. According to section 4 of the Community Service Orders Ordinance (Cap. 378), "where a person of or over 14 years of age is convicted of an offence punishable with imprisonment, the court which sentences him for that offence may make an order requiring him to perform, during the life of the order, unpaid work in accordance with this Ordinance".

At present, smoking offence itself is not one that is punishable with imprisonment. There is no provision in existing law which allows offences that are not punishable with imprisonment to have community service orders as the alternative penalty.

Separately, if an offender wishes to dispute the issue of a fixed penalty notice on littering, he/she can ask the concerned enforcement department to arrange a hearing of the case by the Court. If the offender is convicted by the Court, the Court would impose the sentence it deems most appropriate, including the level of fine and/or imprisonment terms or a Community Service Order, on the offender. Should the offender have financial difficulties in paying the fine, he/she might appeal to the Court for a lower fine. Under the Fixed Penalty (Smoking Offences) Bill which is being scrutinised by the Legislative Council, the same arrangement is being proposed by the Government for smoking offences.

In fact, members of the public need not worry about the penalty amount if they comply with the public cleanliness law and do not smoke in no-smoking areas. Also, we cannot presume that the reason for people not to pay the penalty was all because of financial problems. We would continue to help members of the public comply with relevant requirements through education and publicity so as to save financial burden arising from paying penalties.

禁煙成效低 議員倡加稅
11/12/2008

【本報訊】推行全面室內禁煙後，香煙銷量卻不跌反增，立法會議員質疑當局宣傳禁煙的成效，要求政府增加煙草稅以減低煙民吸煙意欲。食物及泎生局長周一嶽亦認同煙草稅應作適當調整，但詳情須由財政司長於財政預算案中再作研究。

交匯處將列禁煙區
周一嶽引用海關的數據，指去年十月至本年九月，完稅香煙稅收為三十七億五千多萬，較對上一年的二十四億多，上升達九點一個百分點，但強調十五歲以上的煙民數字減少百分之二點五至十一點八，指趨勢令人鼓舞。

民主黨鄭家富質疑為何實行室內禁煙後，香煙銷量不跌反增，要求政府增加煙草稅以減低煙民吸煙意欲。周一嶽對香煙銷量不跌反升表示詫異，但認為與海關打擊私煙有力及市民過關時可攜帶的免稅煙由兩條減至三包有關。

民主黨黃成智指戒煙中心服務五天工作，令打工仔未能接受服務，要求將服務延長至星期六、日；鄭家富則要求當局「兩條腿走路」，承諾於○九年夏天落實巴士總站全面禁煙，讓市民排隊搭巴士時不用再食二手煙。

周一嶽表示，當局將於明年第二季實施違例吸煙定額罰款、並於同年落實把有上蓋的巴士總站及公共運輸交匯處設為禁煙區，第二步則研究把露天的巴士總站亦列作禁煙區。周又指戒煙不是緊急的健康問題，沒有需要延長服務至周六、日。http://the-sun.on.cc/channels/img/endmarker.gif

86% support Government's anti-smoking measures
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Government Press Release

A survey by the Food and Health Bureau showed that 86% of respondents supported the Government's overall anti-smoking measures.

On the increase of tobacco duty by 50% as in the Budget proposal, 77% of respondents supported the Government's move. Only 12% indicated that they did not support it.

Almost 70% of respondents supported the increase in tobacco duty to $24 or above per pack of cigarettes as proposed by the Government. Of them, almost half even proposed an increase of more than 100%, which means the tobacco duty should rise to $32 or more per pack.

More than 80% of respondents indicated that they had visited restaurants, eating places and karaoke establishments more frequently, rather than less, after these places had become designated no smoking areas since 2007. Only 12% indicated their visit frequency had decreased.

More than 70% of respondents supported full implementation of a smoking ban in indoor areas of six premises viz bars, clubs, night clubs, bathhouses, massage establishments and mahjong-tin kau premises, with effect from July 1 this year. Only 10% were not supportive of this measure. Of all the respondents, 45% indicated that they had visited at least one of the above-mentioned premises before.

More than 40% of respondents anticipated that after full implementation of smoking ban in indoor areas of bars, clubs, night clubs, bathhouses, massage establishments and mahjong-tin kau premises, the frequency of their visit to these premises would not decrease, or would even increase. Only 8% of respondents anticipated that the frequency would decrease. About half of respondents anticipated that they would continue not to visit these places.

The Government commissioned a research company to conduct an opinion poll from March 19-24 on "Tobacco Control Measures". The opinion poll was conducted through telephone interview. During the six-day fieldwork, 1,018 people were interviewed.

The opinion poll aimed to gauge public views on the level of support to the various tobacco control measures, including the increase in tobacco duty, and the full implementation of smoking ban in six statutory no smoking areas, bars, clubs, nightclubs, massage establishments, and Mahjong-Tin Kau premises, from July 1.

The questionnaires in the poll and the detailed results are in the annex.

`100,000 at risk' from blanket smoking ban
Hong Kong Standard
Friday, March 27, 2009

The July 1 blanket ban on smoking will force half the city's 1,342 exempted establishments out of business, according to the Entertainment Business Rights Concern Group.
The group, comprising operators of bars, nightclubs, bath and massage houses, along with mahjong and sauna parlors, said business turnover has already dropped by 30 percent.

"The smoking ban will worsen the situation and affect the livelihood of 100,000 workers because 90 percent of our customers are smokers," the group said.

The government gave those trades a two-year grace period when it enacted an indoor smoking ban in 2006.

The group is calling on the government to back off and exempt adults-only premises, or at least adopt a more flexible policy to allow them to set up smoking rooms or smoking periods.

Hong Kong Bars and Karaoke Rights Advocacy executive secretary Anita To Miu-yu said: "There are many bars and entertainment premises in composite and commercial buildings. Customers do not want to have to take the elevator to go down to the street to smoke and then go back." She added the smoking ban will encourage the growth of unlicensed establishments to evade inspection.

As Hongkongers can travel to Shenzhen anytime, business turnover has dropped 10 to 20 percent and there are worries that more customers will opt for Macau or Shenzhen, To said.

Ann Ann, a nightclub worker, said is worried about losing her job. "My education level is low and I still have a family to take care of."

Mahjong parlor worker and smoker Pauline said the government's claim of protecting employees' health from second-hand smoking is not practical.

"Most workers are smokers too. We are losing our jobs soon and we care more about our jobs than our health."

The group will meet Secretary for Food and Health York Chow Yat-ngok in April.

Tobacco Control Office head Ronald Lam Man-kin said, at this stage, the Food and Health Bureau has no plan to change the ban's schedule.

He said a survey of 1,018 people conducted from March 19 to 24 showed 74 percent supported the ban.

The office will hire 15 more inspectors this year.

LCQ12: Smoking in the vicinity of no smoking areas
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Government Press Release

Following is a question by the Hon Lau Wong-fat and a written reply by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council today (May 6):

Question:

Since the implementation of a total ban on smoking in workplaces and shopping malls, quite a number of smokers have moved to places near the entrances/exits of office buildings and malls to smoke. As a result, people entering or leaving such buildings have to pass through a virtual smoking area. At the meeting of this Council on December 10, 2008, I raised a question on the above situation, but it was not fully answered by the Government. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether:

(a) it has assessed the impact of the above situation on passers-by; and

(b) it will review the existing smoking ban with a view to finding a solution to this problem?

Reply:

President,

The Government has adopted a progressive approach in implementing tobacco control policy. Over the years, it has made multi-pronged efforts encompassing publicity, education, legislation, enforcement, taxation as well as promotion of smoking cessation to reduce the impact of passive smoking on the public and further safeguard public health. Following the passage of the amendment to the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance (the Ordinance) by the Legislative Council in 2006, the statutory no-smoking areas have been expanded significantly to include all indoor public places and workplaces as well as many outdoor sitting-out areas since January 1, 2007. The fixed penalty system for smoking offences will be implemented in due course, and the Administration has also planned to designate public transport interchanges as statutory no-smoking areas.

We understand that after the expansion of no smoking areas, some smokers have gathered around and smoked at certain spots on the streets that are close to no smoking areas, such as places near the entrances/exits of office buildings and malls, and have affected some of the non-smoking passers-by. We are now evaluating the situation, as well as collecting relevant information and conducting research on the matter. This includes gauging public opinion and drawing reference from the experience and results of measures taken by other countries and places in tackling the issue of smokers clustering and smoking in the vicinity of no smoking areas. Meanwhile, we will continue to closely monitor the implementation of the tobacco control policy as well as the community's expectation and acceptance of our tobacco control measures. As in the past, the Government will take into account the actual circumstances and public expectations when considering the need to further expand the statutory no smoking areas or adopt other tobacco control measures to safeguard public health.

Smoking ban looms over protesting entertainment sector
10 June 2009
South China Morning Post

The government has vowed to extend the smoking ban to cover entertainment businesses next month, as scheduled, despite vigorous opposition from the entertainment sector.

Lisa Lau, chairwoman of the Council on Smoking and Health, yesterday called on the sector to observe the ban, which she said would protect the health of staff and customers.

There has been a smoking ban in most indoor and public areas since January 2007, although bars, nightclubs, bathhouses, mahjong rooms and massage parlours were granted an exemption until July 1 this year. Ms Lau said the restaurant industry had not been hurt by the ban and that business increased 13.4 per cent in 2007 after the ban was enforced.

The percentage of the population over the age of 15 who smoked dropped from 14 per cent in 2005 to 11.8 per cent in 2007 after the ban was introduced, she said.

Jessica Li, spokeswoman for the karaoke chain California Red, said that since the ban the percentage of staff who smoked at its outlets had dropped from 70 to 30.

Patrick Chiu Cho-ho, president of the Chinese Cuisine Management Association, said banning smoking created a more attractive dining environment, attracting non-smoking customers to restaurants.

But Chin Chun-wing, vice-chairman of the Bar and Club Association, said the smoking ban would be a further burden on the entertainment sector, which had already been hit by the financial downturn, because 90 per cent of customers were smokers.

He called on the Food and Health Bureau to consider deferring the smoking ban for another two years.

"We are not asking for a smoking licence but only for more time to weather the financial downturn," Mr Chin said. "If the government insists on enforcing the ban next month, our members will turn a blind eye to smoking customers."

Last month, hundreds of entertainment business operators and patrons demonstrated over the ban.

Lillian Chan Yun-lin, of the Entertainment Business Rights Concern Group, said entertainment establishments had seen their business drop by more than half since the financial crisis and swine flu scare. "My workers are worried that they will lose their jobs after the ban comes into force," she said. The group might organise another protest if the government did not reconsider the move.

A bureau spokesman said it had no plans to postpone the ban.

Fixed penalty for smoking offences comes into effect in September
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Government Press Release

The fixed penalty system for a smoking offence would come into effect on September 1, the same day that smoking would also be prohibited in 48 public transport facilities (PTF), a spokesman for the Department of Health said today (August 26).

Under the Fixed Penalty (Smoking Offences) Ordinance, any person who smokes or carries a lighted cigarette, cigar, or pipe in any designated no smoking areas or public transport carrier will be issued with a fixed penalty notice of $1,500 by enforcement officers.

"While most smokers have abided by the no smoking requirements at places where smoking is not allowed, the new measure will increase the deterrent effect and convey to the public a more consistent message on the Government's determination to enforce the smoking ban and protect non-smokers from the risk of secondhand smoke," the spokesman said.

Tobacco Control Inspectors, police officers and specified officers of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) and Housing Department (HD) are authorised to issue fixed penalty notices.

Authorised officers of LCSD, FEHD and HD will enforce smoking bans in public venues under their management.

"People who have been issued with the fixed penalty notices are required to pay within 21 days or they will face a heavier penalty," the spokesman said.

Explaining the procedures of issuing of fixed penalty notices, the spokesman said enforcement officers would show their departmental identity card or warrant card for identification when executing their duties.

The offenders would be requested to provide their personal particulars for inspection and record, he said.

"Offenders would not be required to pay the fixed penalty to any enforcing officer on the spot. Instead they should pay through various prescribed channels within 21 days from the date of issue of the fixed penalty notice," he said.

Regarding the prohibition of smoking in 48 covered designated public transport facilities, the spokesman said these were areas that consist of terminuses of two or more modes of public transport or bus terminuses of two or more specified bus routes.

"The objective of the measure is to further protect the public from the harm of smoking and second-hand smoking," the spokesman said.

A List of the 48 designated public transport facilities and their gazetted plans are available at the Land Registry and TCO's website (www.tco.gov.hk) for public inspection.

The plans and no smoking signs would be displayed prominently at all 48 public transport facilities.

The spokesman said a smoking ban had already been enforced in 43 indoor public transport facilities since January 2007.

"The Government is preparing to designate about 130 open-air public transport facilities as no smoking areas," he said.

To ensure the public is well informed of the two initiatives, a series of publicity programmes was launched this month (August). They include the broadcast of TV and radio announcements in public interest as well as the display and distribution of posters, pamphlets, stickers and other publicity materials.

New huffs and puffs at wider smoking ban
The Standard
Wednesday, September 02, 2009

What is supposed to be heightened action against smoking got underway yesterday with some of the people supposed to be enforcing new rules on the march or voicing worries about their own safety.

The third stage of the smoking ban covers 48 covered public transport interchanges and bus stops, but there were immediate doubts about how well it would work. Civil servants in the front line saw dangers if they used their new power to hand out fixed-penalty tickets.

In fact, only seven tickets for an offense that carries a HK$1,500 fine were issued against more than 500 verbal warnings.

In addition to tobacco control inspectors and police, some 2,200 staff of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, 700 from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and 430 from the Housing Department staff can issue tickets to people smoking in premises and venues under their management.

But about a dozen members of the FEHD Staff Rights Union marched to the Legislative Council's complaints office to say that duties listed in their contracts do not include issuing tickets and that the department did not provide adequate training. The new work affected morale and set off worries about personal safety, they complained.

Yet an FEHD spokesman said most staff unions had been contacted and had agreed to guidelines in going about their duties - and they would not turn a blind eye to those who break the smoking ban.

Under the guidelines, staff must issue fixed-penalty tickets if they see a smoking offense, though a verbal warning can be given to avoid "unnecessary hostility and danger" to officers.

The FEHD view, he added, was that both its staff and the public need time to get used to the extended smoking ban, and verbal warnings could be issued rather than tickets in the initial stages.

A spokesman for the Leisure and Cultural Services Department said smokers were being cooperative and stubbing out cigarettes when asked. "The department understands the concerns of its staff," he added, and it would be providing "suitable training to colleagues and revise and improve guidelines in the light of the experience gained."

The Housing Department issued one ticket at a public transport interchange and Tobacco Control Office staff issued six, but none inside transport interchanges.

Some tobacco control inspectors had talked of taking leave on the first day of the extended ban, but the threat did not materialize.

wonder when will cigarette be banned in HK just like chewing gum in singapore

wonder when will cigarette be banned in HK just like chewing gum in singapore

Haven't seen countries ban tobacco altogether yet ... at least in the US the tobacco industry has a huge lobby and a lot of dollars floating around in DC!

Haven't seen countries ban tobacco altogether yet ... at least in the US the tobacco industry has a huge lobby and a lot of dollars floating around in DC!

we will be the first... :lol::lol:

wonder when will cigarette be banned in HK just like chewing gum in singapore

wish it's banned at all public areas
i don't mind people smoke at home

Experts say smoke-happy China could learn how to kick the habit from Hong Kong
26 March 2010
Associated Press Newswires

Nearly one in three smokers worldwide lights up in China, where cigarettes -- commonly given as gifts -- are so tightly woven into the culture, some believe it's an impossible habit to kick. But a new report suggests the keys to quitting lie in the country's own backyard.

Hong Kong has successfully fought tobacco for two decades and seen its smoking rate drop from 23 percent in 1982 when the campaign began to 12 percent in 2008 -- the lowest in the world. The former British colony, now under Chinese rule, hit cigarettes hard with taxes up to 300 percent, banned indoor smoking and promoted education through schools and public service announcements -- proving that smoking and Chinese culture aren't necessarily married for life.

"We all learn from shared experiences. The U.S. tobacco program has learned from Australia, Canada and others," said Jeffrey Koplan, from Emory Global Health Institute in Atlanta, who wrote a commentary published online Friday in The Lancet medical journal. "Hong Kong is very relevant to Chinese conditions, and the big lesson for all of us to learn is that effective health promotion programs are multidimensional."

About 30 percent of the world's smokers live in China, a number roughly equal to the entire U.S. population. Within the next 15 years it will kill an estimated 2 million Chinese annually, the report said. The country is home to both the world's largest tobacco grower and cigarette producer.

The mainland has taken some steps to reduce smoking, such as banning TV and radio ads and adding health warnings to cigarette packaging, and it was successful in banning smoking at both indoor and outdoor venues at the 2008 Olympics.

But the government now needs to step up and confront its state-owned tobacco monopoly by slapping cigarettes with steep taxes, said Dr. Judith Mackay, a World Health Organization senior policy adviser who's been a long-standing vocal leader of anti-smoking campaigns across Asia, working with China since the 1980s.

"You have to price them out of the hands and the pockets and the mouths of children," she said, adding that China did levy a tax, but it was absorbed by the companies and smokers were never hit with a price increase. "If you can get kids by the age of 19, they don't start smoking hardly after that."

The price of locally made cigarettes varies widely in China, but a pack can be bought for as little as $1.50 in Beijing. By comparison, in Hong Kong, an imported pack costs just over $5.

In Hong Kong, cigarettes have been taxed a number of times at high rates starting at 300 percent in 1983. When the territory left the tax rate unchanged from 2001 to 2008, it saw a rise in tobacco use, including an increase in the average number of cigarettes being smoked by young people from nine a day in 2005 to 11 three years later. Last year, the government levied a 50 percent tax increase to counter the resurgence.

Mackay, who has lived in Hong Kong for 40 years and was not part of the Lancet commentary, said the WHO recently challenged the territory of 7 million to become the first place to push its smoking rate below 10 percent.

She said it's a target that can hopefully be met, showing China what's possible with enough direction. Hong Kong's leaders, along with WHO chief Dr. Margaret Chan, the financial hub's former health director, are also key to helping China realize just how much smoking will cost the country in the long run.

"Some people in China always think that Chinese are a special case, and actually I don't buy it at all," she said. "I've worked with kings and communists in this region and the product is the same, the health effects are the same, the obstacles are the same, what has to be done is the same."

Earlier this week, a national study revealed that China is now home to the most people living with diabetes. Smoking is a major risk factor for that chronic ailment along with heart disease, the country's top killer. Tobacco-related diseases are already linked to about 1 million deaths a year.

"The huge tobacco and cigarette industry and its economic impact are serious challenges to tobacco control," said Koplan. "But not much different from the tobacco industry in the U.S. Good health eventually trumps commercial profits."

I personally would be happy if they ban cigarette smoking in all of the other game centres and video arcades.

So far, only establishments in Mong Kok, Kowloon Bay, CWB and North Point seem to implement this. Yet in TST and Wan Chai, it is still permitted. :(

If possible, I wish for establishments in TST to be non-smoking. That way I can get to enjoy HKD$1 games...........in a non-smoking environment :D.

I personally would be happy if they ban cigarette smoking in all of the other game centres and video arcades.

So far, only establishments in Mong Kok, Kowloon Bay, CWB and North Point seem to implement this. Yet in TST and Wan Chai, it is still permitted. :(

If possible, I wish for establishments in TST to be non-smoking. That way I can get to enjoy HKD$1 games...........in a non-smoking environment :D.

By law, it is ILLEGAL to smoke indoor anywhere in Hong Kong, that includes arcades. However, does the operator follows the law and enforce them is another story.

It's unbelievable how far behind we are in Japan. Although many areas have now banned smoking while walking outdoors (seriously), it's still OK to smoke in nearly all restaurants and cafes.

Some restaurants have no smoking areas, but as someone said once, that's like having a 'no pissing' section in a swimming pool.

^^ :lol:

Smoking bans at bus stations fare badly on first day
The Standard
Thursday, December 02, 2010

http://the-sun.on.cc/cnt/news/20101202/photo/1202-00407-023b1.jpg

http://the-sun.on.cc/cnt/news/20101202/photo/1202-00407-023b2.jpg

As a smoking ban came into force at 131 bus terminals yesterday, members of the public were still lighting up and pleading ignorance.

Those smoking or carrying a lit cigarette, cigar or pipe at 129 open air and two covered public transport facilities are now liable to a HK$1,500 fixed-penalty notice.

Despite no-smoking signs and maps highlighting the smoke-free zones, many passengers failed to notice and lit up anyway.

A smoker waiting at a bus terminal near Wan Chai pier said he did not know anything about the new rules.

Another traveler thought he could smoke in any open area.

The ban is being implemented in phases with a total of 54 indoor and 48 covered public transport facilities first being affected from January 1, 2007, and September 1, 2009, respectively.

More than 15,000 summonses and 8,000 fixed-penalty notices were issued to offenders from January 2007 to October this year by the Tobacco Control Office.

The Department of Health said it hopes the extension of the smoking ban will further protect the public from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke.

Separately, at Kwun Tong Magistrates' Court a 49-year-old man was sentenced to 80 hours' community service for assaulting a Tobacco Control Inspector and obstructing a public officer in a no smoking area.

The man was found smoking at an amusement arcade in Wong Tai Sin on October 6 and assaulted the officer from the inspection team.

http://the-sun.on.cc/cnt/news/20101202/photo/1202-00407-023b2.jpg


^^ It's getting outrageous to paint giant white box on the ground around the whole public transport interchangeand call it no-smoking zone. Do I have to look down from the 20th floor, or on a helicopter to tell where is the box exactly, and then determine am I in the box or not?
Seriously, looking at the above picture, I can't tell which side of the white line is smoking permitted, and which side isn't; that means no one is going to care.

Maybe the Government should work the opposite way to draw boxes showing where smoking is permitted, and calls everywhere else a no smoking zone; and eventually be the first city in the world to ban cigarette, like Singapore did for chewing gum.

LCQ8: Tobacco control measures
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Government Press Release

Following is a question by the Hon Wong Ting-kwong and a written reply by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council today (October 26):

Question:

A survey conducted by the Census and Statistics Department between October and December 2010 revealed that the prevalence of daily cigarette smokers aged 15 or above was 11.1% in 2010, which is slightly lower than the 12% in 2009, yet, the number of young smokers among these people increased significantly by 40% while the number of smokers over 60 years old also increased by 5% instead of decreasing. The Financial Secretary has raised the tobacco duty in the 2011-2012 financial year by 41.5%. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) how the smoking population in this financial year up to the present compares with that of the same period last year, and list the relevant data by age group distribution;

(b) whether the authorities have assessed the reasons for the substantial increase in the number of young smokers by 40% in last year; whether they have followed up the problem; if they have, of the specific measures; if not, the reasons for that;

(c) whether it knows how the number of requests for assistance received by TWGHs Integrated Centre on Smoking Cessation in this year up to the present compares with that of the same period last year; of the current operation of the Centre, and whether additional resources will be allocated to the Centre in anticipation of an increase in the number of cases requiring cessation support; if so, of the details; and

(d) given that according to the relevant data, in the past two years, one-third of smokers had attempted to give up smoking but failed, whether the authorities have compiled statistics on the number of those among these smokers who had repeatedly tried to give up smoking but failed, and of the percentage of such number in the relevant total number; whether the authorities have looked into the reasons and offered assistance to these smokers; if they have, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

The Government surveys smoking prevalence in the population from time to time. The last two surveys on the smoking prevalence in the population aged 15 and above were conducted from October 2010 to December 2010 and from November 2009 to February 2010 respectively by the Census and Statistics Department. The smoking prevalence by age groups as found in these two surveys are at Table. The statistics show that the proportion of persons who had a daily smoking habit among all persons aged 15 and above dropped from 12.0% (698,700) to 11.1% (657,000). All age groups saw a significant drop in smoking prevalence except the age groups of age 60 or above and age 15 to 19.

The latest smoking prevalence in the age group of 15 to 19 was 2.5% (10,800 persons), reflecting an increase when compared with the 1.8% (7,700 persons) found in the previous survey. This might not reflect the actual situation due to the small statistical base. Moreover, the consumption of cigarettes among this group of daily smokers dropped from 10.8 sticks per day in 2009/10 to 8.6 sticks per day in 2010. Meanwhile, the survey specifically conducted by the School of Public Health of the University of Hong Kong on the proportion of student smokers over a longer period of time revealed a sustained drop in the proportion of smokers among Form 1 to Form 5 students, from 9.6% in 2003/04 to 6.9% in 2007/08 and dropping further to 3.4% in 2010/11.

The Government has all along adopted measures to effectively control the use of tobacco, in order to reduce the hazard of tobacco and prevent youngsters from picking up the smoking habit. By encouraging smokers, especially youngsters, to quit smoking as early as possible, it can improve their health and that of their families, and also relieve the healthcare and economic burdens on the community in the long run. We will continue to strengthen publicity and education, so as to reduce the chances of youngsters being exposed to second-hand smoking and picking up the smoking habit.

My reply to the various parts of the question is as follows:

(a) Please refer to the Table. As a new round of survey on smoking prevalence will only commence in late 2011, we do not yet have the relevant data for this financial year.

(b) The Government has been adopting a progressive and multi-pronged approach comprising legislation, taxation, publicity, education, enforcement and promotion of smoking cessation services to reduce youth smoking and prevent youngsters from contacting cigarettes and picking up the smoking habit.

On promotion and education, the Tobacco Control Office under the Department of Health (DH) has endeavoured to enhance the awareness of youngsters on the harmfulness of smoking, prevent them from picking up the smoking habit, and encourage smokers to quit smoking through various channels and avenues such as enquiry hotline, promotion campaigns, on-line games, health education materials and seminars. In August 2011, DH launched a smartphone application for smoking cessation for free download by the public. In parallel, the Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health continues its education and publicity efforts at kindergartens, primary and secondary schools through production of guidelines and exhibition boards on implementation of tobacco control measures in schools, health talks and theatre programmes etc.

Since June this year, the Government has provided funding to the School of Nursing of the University of Hong Kong for establishment of the Hong Kong Youth Quitline, which aims to provide counselling to young smokers aged 18 to 25 over the phone. DH also works with Po Leung Kuk and the Life Education Activity Programme to organise health promotional activities at schools for promotion of a smoke-free culture.

The Government will closely monitor the trend of smoking prevalence (including young smokers), and continue to deploy resources for promotion of a smoke-free culture in joint efforts with community organisations, in order to enhance the awareness of youngsters on the harmfulness of smoking and prevent them from picking up the smoking habit.

(c) Tung Wah Group of Hospitals (TWGHs) has been granted funding by DH since January 2009 to launch a community-based smoking cessation programme. At present, TWGHs has established five integrated centres on smoking cessation. Between January and September 2011, the smoking cessation programme of TWGHs has provided services for 2,013 smokers, which is twice the number for the same period in 2010. To enhance the existing smoking cessation services, the Government has provided additional resources to TWGHs for establishment of the sixth integrated centre on smoking cessation, so as to provide services for more smokers who intend to quit smoking.

(d) According to the survey on the smoking population conducted by the Census and Statistics Department between October and December 2010, 33.2% of daily cigarette smokers had tried to give up smoking but failed. We do not have the statistics on the number of smokers among these smokers who had made repeated attempts to give up smoking but failed. However, according to local and overseas experience, most smokers need to make several attempts to give up smoking before they can quit smoking successfully.

The survey also found that the two most commonly cited reasons for failure to give up smoking were related to psychological factors, such as "cigarette smoking had formed a habit" and "not determined enough" which accounted for 54.4% and 44.6% respectively.

Provision of proper psychological counselling for quitters is an integral part of the whole smoking cessation programme. A study has confirmed that providing quitters with counselling treatment, or even just some simple advice on quitting can effectively boost the success rate of smoking cessation. DH has set up an integrated smoking cessation hotline (1833 183) for provision of smoking cessation information and psychological counselling for callers. The hotline is manned by registered nurses who provide callers with counselling treatment over the phone to enhance smokers' motivation and determination to quit smoking. In addition, the nurses will call back the smokers and follow up on their progress on smoking cessation, so as to enhance their chances of success in quitting smoking.

Under the smoking cessation programme run by TWGHs, the service team is also comprised of clinical psychologists, social workers and counsellors for provision of targeted counselling treatment for quitters in addition to the relevant services provided by doctors and nurses. Such counselling treatment can enhance and strengthen the quitters' determination to give up smoking and boost the success rate of smoking cessation.

In addition, the Government has substantially increased the resources for smoking cessation services with a twofold increase from $21 million to $42 million in this financial year. Our tobacco control will focus on promotion of smoking cessation as well as provision and promotion of smoking cessation services. The Government will continue to closely monitor the demand for smoking cessation services and their effectiveness. Additional resources will be provided for smoking cessation services where necessary.

Table : http://gia.info.gov.hk/general/201110/26/P201110260390_0390_85814.pdf