30
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 1986
+ THOUGH VARIOUS MEDICAL RESEARCHES HAVE SHOWN THAT SMOKING IS HAZARDOUS TO HEALTH, UNLESS THE GOVERNMENT CHOOSES TO LEGISLATE TO BAN THE SALE OF TOBACCO, SUCH A LOPSIDED APPROACH WILL COME TO NOTHING, HE SAID.
MR LAI BELIEVED THAT THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST SMOKING SHOULD CONTINUE, BUT SHOULD BE TAKEN STEP BY STEP, AND THESE SHOULD NOT BE IMPLEMENTED WITH UNDUE HASTE,
+HIGH-HANDED MEASURES MAY NOT BE ACCEPTABLE. THE
GOVERNMENT SHOULD ATTEMPT TO RESTRICT FURTHER THE HOURS OF RELAYING TOBACCO COMMERCIALS SO THAT THEY ARE NOT BROADCAST DURING CHILDREN'S PROGRAMMES OR DURING PRIME TIME.
+BANNING IS ONLY A TEMPORARY SOLUTION. AS TO RADICAL MEASURES, WE HAVE TO START OFF WITH HEALTH EDUCATION AND REINFORCE THE MEASURE BY PUBLICISING MEDICAL EVIDENCE WHICH PROVES THAT SMOKING IS HAZARDOUS TO HEALTH, SO THAT THE INTENTION OF BANNING TOBACCO COMMERCIALS IS THOROUGHLY FULFILLED, HE SAID.
SUPPORT FOR TOTAL ADVERTISING BAN ****
SUPPORT FOR A TOTAL BAN ON TOBACCO ADVERTISING ON RADIO AND TELEVISION WAS VOICED BY DR THE HON CONRAD LAM DURING THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON THE BROADCASTING REVIEW BOARD REPORT IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
DR LAM SAID THAT ADVERTISEMENTS GLORIFYING SMOKING WOULD ONLY INSTIL MISCONCEIVED AND DISTORTED MESSAGES IN THE AUDIENCE, ESPECIALLY AMONG THE YOUNGER GENERATION.
HE SAID SUCH ADVERTISEMENTS ALSO GAVE RISE TO AN IMPRESSION THAT SMOKING WAS SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE.
+THIS RUNS COUNTER TO THE GOVERNMENT'S EFFORT IN PROMOTING THE ANTI-SMOKING CAMPAIGN, HE SAID.
+ON THE OTHER HAND, IF THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT IMPOSE RESTRICTIONS ON TOBACCO ADVERTISING, IT WILL MAKE THE PUBLIC QUESTION THE SINCERITY OF THE GOVERNMENT IN PROMOTING THE ANTI-SMOKING CAMPAIGN.+
ON OTHER ISSUES, DR LAM FELT THAT IT WOULD BE AGAINST THE PUBLIC INTEREST FOR A MONOPOLY SITUATION TO EXIST IN THE TELEVISION
INDUSTRY.
HE SUPPORTED