http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/video-gallery.htm?vid=1422496
The Secretary for Food and Health, Sophia Chan, on Thursday played down fears that a ban on e-cigarettes could turn people using them to traditional tobacco products instead.
Chan said the people who raise such fears do not have actual proof to back up the claim.
The secretary said that whenever a new anti-smoking policy was introduced in the past, many people quit smoking. But she didn’t offer any figures for this.
Chan said the proposal to ban e-cigarettes was made after data from surveys conducted in recent months found that many local children are into the products.
She stressed that e-cigarettes have been branded as less harmful in order to attract young smokers, making them unaware how dangerous they can be.
The original plan was to prohibit the sale of e-cigarettes to minors, but Chief Executive Carrie Lam proposed an outright ban on importing, selling and promoting such products during her Policy Address on Thursday.
The ban was supported by many in the medical and education sectors, with both sectors’ lawmakers calling for such a move on Tuesday.