FRIDAY, APRIL 6, 1984
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UNDER THE SMOKING (PUBLIC HEALTH) (AMENDMENT) BILL 1984, A LOCALLY PRINTED PUBLICATION WILL ONLY BE EXEMPTED FROM THE HEALTH WARNING REQUIREMENT IF ITS CIRCULATION IN HONG KONG IS LESS THAN 20 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL AND DOES NOT EXCEED A LIMIT TO BE SET BY THE GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL.
THIS LIMIT WILL BE SET AT 10 000 COPIES AND WILL TAKE EFFECT THREE MONTHS AFTER THE ENACTMENT OF THE BILL. THIS WILL ALLOW PUBLISHERS SUFFICIENT TIME TO NOTIFY ADVERTISERS ABOUT THE NEW REQUIREMENT.
THE SPOKESMAN ALSO POINTED OUT THAT FURTHER RESTRICTIONS WOULD BE IMPOSED ON THE PRESENT LIST OF EXEMPTIONS FROM THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENT FOR CIGARETTE ADVERTISEMENTS TO CARRY THE HEALTH WARNING.
CIGARETTE ADVERTISEMENTS WITHOUT THE GOVERNMENT HEALTH WARNING WILL NO LONGER BE ALLOWED IN OR UPON THE PREMISES OF CIGARETTE RETAILERS, OR ON COMMERCIAL VEHICLES BELONGING TO A MANUFACTURER, DISTRIBUTOR OR A WHOLESALE DEALER OF CIGARETTES OR CIGARETTE TOBACCO. ADDITIONALLY CIGARETTE ADVERTISEMENTS IN OR UPON THE PREMISES OF A MANUFACTURER OR WHOLESALE DEALER OF CIGARETTES OR CIGARETTE TOBACCO WILL IN FUTURE HAVE TO CARRY THE GOVERNMENT HEALTH WARNING IF THE ADVERTISEMENTS ARE VISIBLE FROM OUTSIDE THE PREMISES.
THESE MEASURES ARE PROPOSED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE BASIC PRINCIPLE THAT CIGARETTE ADVERTISEMENTS WHICH ARE DISPLAYED TO THE PUBLIC MUST CARRY THE HEALTH WARNING, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
TO ALLOW SUFFICIENT TIME FOR MODIFICATIONS, THE REMOVAL OF EXEMPTION FOR ADVERTISEMENTS ON COMMERCIAL VEHICLES WILL TAKE EFFECT SIX MONTHS AFTER LEGISLATION IS ENACTED, AND THE MORE RESTRICTIVE REQUIREMENT ON ADVERTISEMENTS ON THE PREMISES OF RETAILERS, MANUFACTURERS AND WHOLESALERS WILL BE IMPLEMENTED TWELVE MONTHS FROM THE DATE OF ENACTMENT.
ANOTHER EXEMPTION FROM THE HEALTH WARNING, FOR ADVERTISEMENTS ON SMALL PORTABLE OBJECTS, CLOTHING AND UMBRELLAS, WHICH CONSIST ONLY OF A BRAND NAME OR LOGO, WILL BE RETAINED. THIS EXEMPTION HOWEVER IS TO BE TRANSFERRED FROM THE PRINCIPAL ORDINANCE TO REGULATIONS TO BE MADE IF THE BILL IS PASSED, TO FACILITATE ANY FUTURE AMENDMENT.
THE BILL IS TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON MAY 2 AND IS EXPECTED TO RECEIVE ITS THIRD READING ON MAY 16.
ANYONE WHO WISHES TO COMMENT ON ITS PROVISIONS MAY WRITE TO UMELCO, AT SWIRE HOUSE, 12TH FLOOR, CHATER ROAD, OR TO THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, AT THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES, LOWER ALBERT ROAD, HONG KONG.
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