THUR.DAY, JULY 24, 1986
HE ADDED THAT THE U.S. SURGEON GENERAL'S ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON THE HEALTH CONSEQUENCES OF USING SMOKELESS TOBACCO HAD, AFTER CAREFUL EXAMINATION OF THE EPIDEMIOLOGICAL AND CLINICAL DATA, CONCLUDED THAT THE ORAL USE OF SMOKELESS TOBACCO REPRESENTED A SIGNIFICANT HEALTH RISK THAT IT WAS NOT A SAFE SUBSTITUTE FOR SMOKING CIGARETTES AND THAT IT COULD CAUSE CANCER AND A NUMBER OF ORAL DISEASES AND COULD ALSO LEAD TO NICOTINE ADDICTION AND DEPENDENCE.
IN RECENT CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION CONFIRMED THAT SMOKELESS TOBACCO LEADS TO CANCER OF THE MOUTH AND UPPER RESPIRATORY TRACT.
J
+ IT IS THEREFORE PROPOSED THAT AS A PREVENTIVE MEASURE A BAN ON THESE PRODUCTS BE IMPOSED BEFORE THEY ARE INTRODUCED INTO HONG KONG, HE SAID.
PROVISIONAL BOARD FOR LDC TO BE APPOINTED
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THE GOVERNMENT IS TO APPOINT A PROVISIONAL BOARD FOR The LAND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (LDC) AND DRAFTING INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE CORPORATION'S ORDINANCE ARE AT AN ADVANCED STAGE PREPARATION, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE LAND AND BUILDING ADVISORY COMMITTEE, MR CHENG HON-KWAN, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).
SPEAKING AT A PRESS CONFERENCE FOLLOW ING THE FIFTH MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE, MR CHENG SAID FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE LDC WOULD BE RELEASED IN DUE COURSE.
MR CHENG THEN TURNED TO THE SUBJECT OF UNAUTHORISED BUILDING WORKS (UBW), WHICH HAD EARLIER CAUSED SOME CONTROVERSY WHEN A PROPOSAL WAS MADE REQUIRING THE OWNER OF A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY TO EMPLOY A COMPETENT PERSON TO CERTIFY ANNUALLY THAT HE HAD INSPECTE. THE EXTERNAL AND COMMON PARTS OF THE PROPERTY AND THAT NO ILLEGAL ALTERATIONS HAD BEEN MADE.
HE SAID THIS DID NOT RECEIVE A FAVOURABLE REACTION FROM THE PUBLIC, AND ARISING FROM THIS, ANOTHER LOOK HAD BEEN TAKEN AT THE ISSUE AND VARIOUS PROPOSALS MADE.
MR CHENG POINTED OUT THAT THE PRESENT POLICY ON UBW DATES BACK TO 1975 AND IT WAS NOW CONSIDERED NECESSARY TO ADJUST IT SO THAT IT RECOGNISED RESOURCE LIMITATIONS: ITS PRINCIPLE WOULD BE EASILY UNDERSTOOD BY THE PUBLIC; IT CONTAINED CLEAR GUIDELINES WHICH COULD BE PRACTICALLY IMPLEMENTED; AND ITS ENFORCEMENT WAS IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST.
/LADER Mrite