5
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1981
NEARLY 90 PER CENT OF THE PEOPLE INTERVIEWED IN THE RECENT SURVEY WERE IN FAVOUR OF A BAN ON SMOKING IN PUBLIC TRANSPORT AND ENCLOSED PUBLIC PLACES.
INITIALLY IT IS PROPOSED THAT CONTROLS SHOULD COVER PUBLIC TRANSPORT (EXCEPT TAXIS AND HIRE CARS), PUBLIC LIFTS, THEATRES, CONCERT HALLS AND CINEMAS. HOSPITAL WARDS. MEDICAL AND DENTAL CLINICS, CLASSROOMS AND PUBLIC WAITING AREAS IN GOVERNMENT OFFICES.
IT IS
IN THE CASE OF SINGLE-DECKER PUBLIC TRANSPORT, PROPOSED THAT THERE SHOULD BE A TOTAL BAN ON SMOKING. ON DOUBLE-DECKER BUSES AND TRAMS, SMOKING WOULD BE ALLOWED ON ONE DECK BUT PROHIBITED ON THE OTHER. IN THE CASE OF PLACES OF ENTERTAINMENT, THE MANAGEMENT WOULD BE REQUIRED TO ENSURE THAT ADEQUATE PROVISION WAS MADE FOR NON-SMOKERS, MR BARNES SAID LEGISLATION WITH PENALTIES WOULD BE PROVIDED TO IMPLEMENT THESE PROPOSALS WHILE OTHERS INVOLVING FACILITIES UNDER THE GOVERNMENT'S CONTROL WOULD BE EFFECTED BY ADMINISTRATIVE MEANS.
IN 1976 THE GOVERNMENT BEGAN A PROGRAMME OF EDUCATION AND PUBLICITY AIMED PARTICULARLY AT DISCOURAGING YOUNG PEOPLE FROM SMOK ING. IN ADDITION TO THE INCLUSION OF THE ANTI-SMOKING MESSAGE IN THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM, A VARIETY OF EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES SUCH AS EXHIBITIONS AND COMPETITIONS HAVE BEEN ORGANISED, THE MESSAGE HAS ALSO BEEN PUBLICISED ON TELEVISION AND THROUGH POSTERS AND STICKERS.
+THE PRESENT LOW-KEY APPROACH AND EMPHASIS ON EDUCATION OF THE YOUNG WILL BE BROADENED TO WARN THE GENERAL PUBLIC MORE POSITIVELY ABOUT THE DANGERS OF SMOKING, MR BARNES SAID.
IN ADDITION TO CONTINUING TO PROMOTE THE +BE CONSIDERATE+ MESSAGE, FUTURE PUBLICITY WILL BE AIMED AT PREVENTING NON-SMOKERS FROM STARTING THE HABIT AS WELL AS PERSUADING SMOKERS TO STOP, SPREADING A NEW HEALTH WARNING SUCH AS HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WARNING: CIGARETTE SMOKING IS HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH+ AND ENCOURAGING OPERATORS OF FACILITIES USED BY THE PUBLIC TO SUPPORT SMCK ING RESTRICTIONS ON THE IR PREMISES.
LEGISLATION WILL BE INTRODUCED TO MAKE IT COMPULSORY FOR THE HEALTH WARNING TO BE CARRIED ON EVERY CIGARETTE PACKET AND IN SPEC IF IED TYPES OF CIGARETTE ADVERTISING. THESE WOULD INCLUDE ADVERTISEMENTS ON TELEVISION, RADIO, IN CINEMAS AND IN NEWSPAPERS AND OTHER PERIODICALS.
MR BARNES SAID WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION REPORTS INDICATED THAT CIGARETTES WITH A HIGH TAR AND NICOTINE CONTENT PRESENTED A GREATER RISK TO SMOKERS. IN ORDER TO ASCERTAIN THE TAR AND NICOTINE CONTENT OF INDIVIDUAL BRANDS, THE GOVERNMENT WILL CARRY OUT TESTS WITH THE AID OF AN AUTOMATIC SMOKING MACHINE. THE RESULTS IN THE FORM OF LEAGUE TABLES WILL BE MADE PUBLIC BY THE CONSUMER COUNCIL TWICE A YEAR AND ADVERTISERS WILL BE REQUIRED TO INCLUDE A GENERAL STATEMENT OF THE LATEST TAR RATING OF THE IR PRODUCT IN PRINTED ADVERTISEMENTS.
/CIGARETTE ADVERTISING