Tobacco: Al the Facts, Legislation, and How it Affects Your Health.
Updated on Jan 02, 2009 – SCMP
A new national regulation prohibits foreign-invested supermarkets, including Wal-Mart and Carrefour, from selling tobacco products on the mainland, the Beijing Youth Daily reports. The regulation, which took effect yesterday, also bans foreign-invested businesses and self-employed individuals from any involvement in the retail or wholesale tobacco industry.
Jan 02, 2009 – SCMP
I do not think the implementation of the full smoking ban should be delayed.
It is necessary to ban smoking in public areas, not just because it affects the health of people who are not smoking, but also because it is not good for the image of Hong Kong.
It is inconsiderate of smokers to light up in public places.
The best way to control this problem is to implement the full ban.
Most of us hate the smell of tobacco and non-smokers are at risk if they are exposed to second-hand smoke.
This problem will persist if the government delays the ban.
The sooner the full ban is implemented, the sooner smokers will learn to adapt.
I think the government should be willing to help those smokers who want to give up.
Li Ka-kei, Tsuen Wan
Jan 02, 2009 – SCMP
You see a lot of Hong Kong people smoking on the street beside rubbish bins now that they can no longer smoke in indoor public places.
I see this as a social problem that has to be solved.
There should not be any delay in the implementation of the full smoking ban.
Cigarettes are bad for smokers’ health and the smoke creates pollutants that are harmful to all of us.
Non-smokers are affected by second-hand smoke.
I think the sight of so many people standing around a rubbish bin smoking creates a bad impression for tourists and they might tell friends about this when they return home, which would not be good for the tourism industry.
I also feel that with these people congregating outside to smoke, it cannot help our poor air quality.
This is an added pollutant we do not need.
Sometimes you have to take a strong stand against something. I think, for example, about the upright Qing dynasty official Lin Zexu who destroyed large quantities of opium because it ruined people’s lives.
There is nothing good to say about smoking, and the full smoking ban should be implemented without delay.
Fung Wing-tung, Tsuen Wan
Jan 02, 2009 – SCMP
I think we must be firm in refusing to allow an extension of the scheme that allows exemptions to the smoking ban in public places.
As a non-smoker I have waited most of my life to see a full smoking ban implemented. This ban is long overdue.
It was delayed thanks mainly to the action of a number of legislators who are fortunately no longer in Legco.
Early in my working career I had to work in an office filled with chain-smoking colleagues. I needed the job, so I had no choice but to put up with it. My health certainly suffered as a result.
The recent study [by University of Hong Kong researchers] showed just how dangerous passive smoking is. We must stand firm and implement the full ban on the scheduled date.
It is a pity that smoking cannot be banned completely in Hong Kong.
After all, it is really just another dangerous drug.
W. Y. Li, Wan Chai