THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 1988
5
ANTI-SMOKING EFFORTS WILL BE MAINTAINED
THE GOVERNMENT WILL MAINTAIN ITS EFFORTS IN EDUCATING THE YOUNGER GENERATION NOT TO SMOKE, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, MR JOHN CHAMBERS, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).
SHOWED
SPEAKING AT A CEREMONY HELD TO MARK THE WORLD HEALTH DAY, MR CHAMBERS SAID THAT A HOUSEHOLD SURVEY CONDUCTED IN 1986 THAT FOUR PER CENT OF TEENAGERS WERE DAILY SMOKERS.
FIGURE
SI
"IF WE INCLUDE THOSE WHO SMOKE LESS FREQUENTLY, THE EVEN HIGHER, AND THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF UNDER REPORTING, HE SAID.
**
14
'MOREOVER, IN ANOTHER SURVEY ON SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS DONE BARLIER, ABOUT THREE-QUARTERS OF THOSE WHO ADMITTED SMOKING STARTED THE HABIT BETWEEN THE AGES OF 10 AND 14.
"FINDINGS FROM OVERSEAS INDICATE THAT A MAJORITY OF THESE YOUNG SMOKERS WILL CARRY ON THE HABIT WHEN THEY GROW UP AND THERE IS NO WONDER THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN PUTTING MUCH EMPHASIS ON EDUCATING YOUNG PEOPLE NOT TO SMOKE."
IN ORDER TO PRODUCE A MORE EFFECTIVE ANTI-SMOKING CAMPAIGN, MR CHAMBERS SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD SET UP THE COUNCIL ON SMOKING AND HEALTH TO CO-ORDINATE THE PROMOTION OF ANTI-SMOKING EFFORTS WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE YOUNG.
AS PART OF THE ANTI-SMOKING CAMPAIGN AIMED AT THE YOUNGER GENERATION, THE GOVERNMENT HAD PRODUCED PAMPHLETS, HELD EXHIBITIONS AND HELPED ORGANISE YOUTH PROJECTS то PROMOTE THE ANTI-SMOKING MESSAGE.
A TEACHING KIT HAD BEEN DESIGNED FOR USE BY SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS TO PASS INFORMATION ON SMOKING DANGERS TO THEIR STUDENTS.
POSTERS AND TELEVISION ANNOUNCEMENTS HAD ALSO BEEN PRODUCED ΤΟ WARN PEOPLE OF THE DANGERS OF SMOKING. MOST RECENTLY, EMPHASIS HAD BEEN PUT ON THE HAZARDOUS EFFECTS OF PARENTS* SMOKING ON THEIR CHILDREN.
MR CHAMBERS POINTED OUT THAT THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION HAD DESIGNATED TODAY AS WORLD HEALTH DAY, WHICH IS ALSO THE FIRST WORLD NO-SMOKING DAY.
THE COUNCIL ON SMOKING AND HEALTH, THE KWUN TONG COMMUNITY HEALTH PROJECT AND THE SMOKE-OUT DAY STEERING COMMITTEE HAVE TAKEN THIS OPPORTUNITY TO JOINTLY ORGANISE A PARADE AND AN EXHIBITION TO CELEBRATE THE DAY AND TO CONVEY THE MESSAGE THAT SMOKING 15 HAZARDOUS TO HEALTH.
16