SCMP Letters 02 July 2012
Punish this aggressive minority
Is P. A. Crush suggesting that we should be lenient on offenders if they become abusive and violent (“It would not be feasible to make bar owners responsible for illegal smokers”, June 27)?
In my letter that Mr Crush objects to (“Smoking bans are not enforced”, June 20), I did particularly mention that bar owners should be made responsible for illegal smoking on their premises, but I said the same for management companies.
I did not only pick on small-bar owners, but mentioned bars as a location where a lot of illegal smoking occurs. Yes, directors of major property companies should be made responsible for the illegal smoking which goes on in the toilets of their malls and office blocks.
I suggest that they immediately start installing smoke detectors linked to showerheads above each toilet cubicle, thus neatly combining extinguishing the cigarette with a mild punishment of the offender.
As for employees, they should be provided with clear guidelines: ask the offender to stop, then call the police and identify the offender when they arrive.
The anti-smoking law was passed because of the danger to people’s health. Why are we letting an aggressive minority of smokers continue to inflict this harm?
Allan Dyer, Wong Chuk Hang