WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29, 1987
11
NON-SMOKERS URGED TO EXERCISE THEIR RIGHT *****
IT IS UP TO NON-SMOKERS TO EXERCISE THEIR RIGHT TO HAVE A SMOKE-FREE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE PROTECTION OF THEIR GOOD HEALTH AND IT IS ALSO THEIR DUTY TO ASSIST SMOKERS TO GIVE UP THE HABIT, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PROVISIONAL COUNCIL ON SMOKING AND HEALTH, DR RONALD LEUNG, TOLD A ZONTA CLUB LUNCHEON MEETING TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
AS THE LATEST COLLECTED EVIDENCE ON PASSIVE SMOKING SHOWED THAT NON-SMOKERS COULD ALSO BE LETHALLY AFFECTED BY TOBACCO SMOKE, DR LEUNG SAID THIS SHOULD PROVIDE A REASON FOR A NEW ACTIVE INVOLVEMENT BY NON-SMOKERS.
HE EMPHASISED THAT MOST SMOKERS AS WELL AS NON-SMOKERS HAD BEEN FOUND TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF A RECENT SURGE OF LEGISLATIVE ACTION IN THE U.S. ENSURING CLEAN INTERNAL AIR IN THE WORKPLACE AND PUBLIC PLACES.
HE SAID DIVERSIONARY CALLS FOR MORE RESEARCH OR ATTENTION TO OTHER INTERNAL AIR POLLUTANTS SHOULD BE VIEWED AGAINST THE SUFFICIENTLY CLEAR AVAILABLE KNOWLEDGE ON THE NATURE OF TOBACCO SMOKE, THE LACK OF A SAFE LOWER LIMIT OF EXPOSURE FOR CANCER THE OBVIOUS IRRITATION TO THE MAJORITY, AND THE SPECIFIC SERIOUS EFFECTS ON ASTHMATICS AND OTHERS.
HE DISMISSED THE SUGGESTION THAT SMOKING IN PUBLIC WAS A NATURAL RIGHT WHICH SHOULD OVERRULE THE RIGHT OF EVERYONE ELSE TO BE PROTECTED FROM THE HEALTH DANGER OF AMBIENT SMOKE.
CITING THE LEGAL MAXIM, +YOUR RIGHT TO SWING YOUR FIST ENDS WHERE MY NOSE BEGINS+, DR LEUNG POINTED OUT THAT SMOKERS WOULD NOT BE PREVENTED FROM SMOKING WHERE THIS DID NOT AFFECT OTHERS.
DR LEUNG ALSO SAID KNOWLEDGE OF THE DANGER OF PASSIVE SMOKING WAS NEW AND NEEDED TO BE PASSED ON TO THE HONG KONG PUBLIC RATHER THAN CLAIMING THEY TOLERATED IT.
+THEY SHOULD BE INFORMED THAT THEY ARE UNNECESSARILY EXPOSING THEIR LUNGS TO AMBIENT SMOKE,+ HE SAID.
HE ADDED CIGAREETE SMOKING WAS THE MOST SINGLE IMPORTANT FACTOR OF PREMATURE DEATHS AND DISABILITY.
HE SAID IN THE UK, OUT OF 1 000 SMOKING TEENAGERS AS MANY AS 250 WOULD DIE OF SMOKING-RELATED DISEASES AS AGAINST ONLY 26 OF CAR ACCIDENTS AND 6 OF HOMICIDE.
/+IN HONG KONG