WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 1986
14 -
PHASED-OUT TOTAL BAN ON TOBACCO ADS URGED
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THE TOTAL BAN ON TOBACCO ADVERTISING ON TELEVISION AND RADIO AS RECOMMENDED BY THE BROADCASTING REVIEW BOARD (BRB) REPORT, SHOULD BE APPLIED EQUALLY TO ALL MEDIA OF ADVERTISING, DR THE HON HENRIETTA IP SAID TODAY.
EXPRESSING HER DETERMINED ATTITUDE TOWARDS BANNING CIGARETTE ADVERTISING AT THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON THE BRB REPORT IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, DR 1P CALLED FOR THE TOTAL BAN TO BE PHASED OUT OVER A PERIOD OF FIVE YEARS.
+ IN VIEW OF THE INFILTRATION OF ADVERTISING, THE BAN OUGHT TO BE TOTAL. IT SHOULD BE APPLIED EQUALLY TO ALL MEDIA OF ADVERTISING AND NOT BROADCASTING ALONE AND SHOULD BE INTRODUCED IN A GRADUAL AND CO-ORDINATED FASHION, SHE SAID.
DR IP SAID SHE WAS NOT SUGGESTING THAT THE TOTAL BAN SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE EFFECT WHEN THE NEW LICENCES COMMENCE IN 1989.
POINTING OUT THAT MANY OF THE ADVERTISING AFFILIATED ORGANISATIONS WOULD BE AFFECTED BY SUCH INTERDICTION, DR IP PROPOSED: TO ALLOW THESE ORGANISATIONS TO ADJUST TO A DIFFERENT MODE OF BUSINESS, THE BAN SHOULD BE PHASED OUT WITH A VIEW TO ACHIEVING A TOTAL BAN, SAY, IN FIVE YEARS' TIME, AS THIS PERIOD SHOULD BE ADEQUATE TO CANVASS NEW BUSINESS.+
SHE SAID IT WAS WRONG TO THINK THAT ADVERTISING WAS THE SOLE CAUSE OF SMOKING BUT A MORE IMPORTANT CAUSE WAS A PSYCHOSOCIAL ONE.
THEREFORE, SHE SAID, IT WAS MORE POSITIVE AND SENSIBLE TO FIND WAYS TO MAKE LIVING IN HONG KONG LESS STRESSFUL.
+TOO RADICAL AND ABRUPT CHANGES IN OUR WAYS OF LIFE IS IN ITSELF A STRESS,+ SHE SAID.
DR IP SAID SHE ALSO BELIEVED THAT A TOTAL BAN ON TOBACCO ADVERTISING COULD FOSTER THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE ANTI-SMOKING CAMPAIGN.
SHE SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD HEEDED AND RESPONSIVELY ORGANISED THE ANTI-SMOKING CAMPAIGN, WHICH WAS COMPREHENSIVE AND OF AN APPROPRIATE SCALE.
HOWEVER, IT WAS AN ONEROUS TASK TO COMPETE WITH THE EFFECTIVE AND ENTERTAINING TOBACCO ADVERTISING WHICH WAS BEING CONDUCTED ON AN ENORMOUS SCALE.
/+IT IS